The Reclamation of A Bratty Prince
by Lenaloe
Summary: It's been 20 years since Yuuri died and the chance for Wolfram to find love has come again. But our bratty prince is torn between the Maou who some suspect is Yuuri reincarnated and the girl he can't get out of his mind? Contains: death, shounen-ai, rated R for chapter 12 and onwards. READ and REVIEW! [ON HIATUS rewriting the first few chapters]
1. Prologue

The Reclamation of a Bratty Prince

CHAPTER ONE

A Prince's First Love

{Warning}

This chapter contains certain elements that are not suited for persons under fourteen. Definitely rated as mature for sexual references.

{Note}

In the original version (prior to my rewriting the first few chapters) this chapter was not included. You may think of this chapter as a prelude to the rest of the story.

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Wolfram was pleased. No, he was _incredibly_ pleased. And why not? He certainly had reason to be.

_The wimp finally acquired some sense after all. I mean, who, in their right mind would reject this perfect package? Not that I'm blowing my own horn but I'm skilled with a blade, I have perfect manners and I'm not bad to look at. I am quite the catch, _Wolfram said to himself smugly.

Sure, he knew he had some anger and jealousy issues but he was very serious when it came to issues of integrity, politics and of course, fidelity.

Wolfram's smile suddenly dimmed as he thought to himself, _That wimp. He has no idea how handsome he is with those round dark eyes and that silky hair. Not to mention that he has a dazzling smile! If that's not bad enough, he has to be decent! Nice! Ugh. Of course the ladies would be throwing themselves at him! I would too if I weren't already engaged to him! _

Wolfram checked the clock for the last time. Okay, he had thirty minutes before Yuuri got back. He liked what he was wearing today. The crisp white shirt brought out the slight tan, colouring his milky smooth skin and the casual jeans he wore fitted him snugly he observed with satisfaction.

Anyone who knew Wolfram would know that the young prince did not take an interest in his wardrobe beyond that pertaining to social standards and decorum, but recently, Wolfram had taken to wearing Earth-ish clothing which he thought emphasised the appeal of his young body, no doubt in the efforts of attracting the attention and affection of the double black Maou.

"Well, the results were definitely most satisfactory," Wolfram spoke aloud in seeming indifference - if not for the slight smile at the corner of his lips.

He first noticed it when Yuuri would stare at him during breakfast and dinner since these were the two meals they had together. He remembered asking Yuuri to pass the salt but when he didn't, Wolfram had looked up from his plate to see the double black staring at him with a burning intensity. At that time, Wolfram had not understood what that expression meant, but as time went on, he realised that Yuuri's expressionless stare was beginning to look hungrier, more desperate. And that was when the moonlit picnics in the garden began. And on hot Sunday afternoons, Yuuri would bundle Wolfram off to a nearby lake where the two of them would take a dip and simply spend time with each other.

That was also where Wolfram had taken Yuuri's first kiss.

Wolfram's face coloured scarlet as he recollected the memory. He had been languishing in the warmth of the setting sun when Yuuri had jumped out and scared him out of nowhere. Irked that the bumbling Maou had caught him off guard and was now laughing at him, Wolfram stood up and started tickling his fiancé.

"Arrrrr, noooo! Stop! Hiiiiiiiii! Ah – No, stop! Hiiiiiiiiii! Huhu, hiiiiiiiiiii," Yuuri screamed as he laughed from Wolfram's tickling, trying and failing to fend off Wolfram itchy fingers. Wolfram tickled harder when he heard Yuuri's high pitched laugh (or was it a howl?). Wolfram had never tickled anyone before in his life, nor had he ever been tickled, so when Yuuri had first tickled him after another "You cheater!" arguments, Wolfram did not understand why Yuuri was disappointed in his puzzled reaction, and tickled Yuuri back in spite. And that was when he heard it - Yuuri's laughing howl.

Yuuri's eyes were tearing from laughing too hard, his eyes dark and shiny from happiness, his cheeks flushed and lips red. Wolfram inched closer and closer. Closer still. Yuuri had yet to notice the change in his mood and was busy wiping the tears from his eyes. Wolfram's eyes dropped to Yuuri's lips. Surely the King would not deny him a kiss?

Wolfram gently lifted Yuuri's face, and as he met Yuuri's innocent and questioning eyes, Wolfram pressed his lips to Yuuri's, a hand snaking around Yuuri's neck to secure his head and press him closer to deepen the kiss.

Wolfram's tongue playfully moistened Yuuri's luscious lips before plunging into his mouth and staking his claim. He kissed him violently, passionately – with all the pent up frustrations of many years and unrequited love.

Yuuri broke the kiss when he tore his head away to gasp for air.

He had tasted the salty flavour of Yuuri's tears in his kiss, the soft, velvety texture of those full and inviting lips, the heat of his mouth and feel of his tongue. The different sensations numbed him and they sat awkwardly facing each other, one staring hungrily at the other who blushed furiously.

Oh well, they had kissed again, and again, many times after that. His Yuuri had definitely become an incredibly good kisser under his tutelage, Wolfram mused.

* * *

><p>When Yuuri had insisted on bringing Wolfram with him to Earth this time, Wolfram had suspected that the younger man had something up his sleeve. Wolfram was after all a master strategist and a stickler for rules and propriety (when he was not inflamed with jealousy, that is).<p>

So when Yuuri had bashfully knocked on his door with a smile that split his face into hemispheres, Wolfram had been struck with the most curious emotion. He had never seen Yuuri so blissfully happy – displaying such uninhibited happiness. It was a delicious sight and it sent shivers of warmth and pleasure through every nerve of the blond prince.

There was short pause of silence that was interrupted with Yuuri's panting. He had obviously ran as fast as he could to meet Wolfram. The blond, on the hand, stared in wonderment at his sovereign.

"Wolf… Wolfram, would you… come with me… Earth?" Yuuri squeezed the question between gasps. Wolfram frowned at this. Yuuri was well aware of his aversion to the metal and concrete world of Earth that defied his logic. That Earth's customs was against his marriage to Yuuri was reason enough in his eyes.

"Yuuri…" Wolfram began, feeling a little insulted that Yuuri had overlooked his feeling on the matter but Yuuri cut him impatiently, "Right, Wolfram? You'll come with me, won't you? Even Gwendel is coming and Annisina."

Wolfram was a little dumbstruck (not that he would ever admit it). He thought that Yuuri was slowly falling in love with him but for some reason, he could not fathom why Yuuri's face was glowing brighter with every word he uttered, why he wanted Wolfram to come with him to Earth and whatever reason Yuuri had for this trip.

Despite the confusion stirring in his mind, all Wolfram could see was Yuuri's beautiful face.

"I'd love too," the words slipped out without him noticing it in his stupor and Yuuri rushed over to plant a kiss on Wolfram's soft lips.

Wolfram's eyes widened in surprise – but also in anger at himself.

Truthfully, Wolfram's libido was driving him mad. The very sight of Yuuri sent his imagination into overdrive. He wanted Yuuri desperately and always has. But his code of conduct did not allow him to touch his King without the King's consent. So he had opted for 'softer means of persuasion' of which tactic number one- the filly pink nightgown. Long months had passed without Yuuri even so much as looking at him and eventually Wolfram had that nightgown burnt. Tactic number two was to evoke jealousy. Unfortunately, the King was oblivious to his efforts and Wolfram concluded that the most powerful Maou in history besides Shinou was as clueless as a child. The third tactic was a love potion brewed by Annisina which turned Yuuri a different colour every week for the next seven weeks.

Plagued with failure, Wolfram had given in to his sorrows and brooded about it for a long time. Even the usually clueless Maou sensed it and brought Wolfram to visit Jennifer since he always seemed very happy to see her.

It was during the time spent there that an offhand comment by Jennifer ignited a fresh spark in the brooding prince.

"My, my Wolfram… You do look good in Earth clothing. If I weren't already married to Souma and you weren't in love with my son, I'd be tempted to elope," Jennifer smiled. And that was how he finally got Yuuri's attention focused on him.

But kisses alone could not sooth the heat pooling in his loins. No matter how innocent or how hot the kiss, Yuuri's lips never failed to bring that ever-present flame of desire into a liquid magma. Wolfram was thankful that the prince had no inkling of as to the depth of his carnal desires. Wimp that Yuuri was, the prince knew that his passions would frighten the lover he had only just possessed.

* * *

><p>That night, as they slept on the same bed, Wolfram made his feelings plain to his fiancé.<p>

"Yuuri, I'm telling you straight. You'd better not leave me alone nor use those metal creatures for transportation. I'll burn you to a crisp if you do, you hear me?" Wolfram looked at Yuuri's face for an answer but Yuuri was only smiling.

"Remember how you said the Sun God was angry? You should stop using those things too," Wolfram continued.

"Sun God?" Yuuri asked in bewilderment. "What Sun God? – Oh, you mean global warming!"

Yuuri suddenly began to laugh and Wolfram was sure that his beloved was laughing at him. Irritated, but also aroused at the close intimacy between them, Wolfram pushed himself on top of Yuuri and kissed him suddenly.

In the beginning, he forcefully placed his lips on top of Yuuri's but as Yuuri's lips parted in surprise, Wolfram pushed his tongue into Yuuri's mouth to taste, to tease and to torment the boy-king. As Wolfram deepened the kiss, tilting his head to better taste Yuuri with his tongue, he could feel Yuuri pulling him closer, tighter.

Wolfram could feel the heat through the thin t-shirt. He broke the kiss to kiss the sides of Yuuri's mouth and moved to an ear when he blew on it, sucked on it and whispered in a drunken voice, "Yuuri…".

Yuuri gasped and pulled Wolfram's face back to his, kissing Wolfram wildly. Wolfram ran his hands all over Yuuri's torso and hands, snaking a hand under Yuuri's pyjamas and elicited a delicious whimper from the double black.

Kissing the side of Yuuri's neck, Wolfram found Yuuri's hard nipple and tugged the nub gently.

His passions mounting, Wolfram sucked at Yuuri's neck as he thumbed Yuuri's nipple simultaneously. Yuuri's hands were running wildly across Wolframs's back, tugging and pulling at his t-shirt.

Letting out a little growl, Wolfram suddenly bit Yuuri's shoulder. Yuuri yelped in pain and pushed Wolfram of him.

Wolfram's beautiful green eyes followed Yuuri's movements hungrily. His eyes clouded with love, lust and possessiveness, Wolfram could not see Yuuri's falling tears nor the growing redness at the side of Yuuri's shoulder where he had bit Yuuri.

"Wolfram."

Yuuri's voice calling out to him brought Wolfram to his senses.

"I'm sorry Wolfram, but… not yet. Alright?"

Wolfram was now becoming aware of the hickeys starting to form near Yuuri's neck and he could see some blood at the side of Yuuri's shoulder. Worried but also proud that he had finally marked his king, Wolfram felt better about complying with Yuuri's request.

As Yuuri climbed back onto the bed, he put his hand on top of Wolfram's. Wolfram did not move but smiled, slid his hand from under Yuuri's and clutched Yuuri's hand.

"I love you."

Yuuri blushed, muttered something incoherent and pulled the blanket over his head. After some time, Yuuri's soft breathing became steady and when Wolfram was sure that Yuuri was asleep, he slipped from under the sheets and headed to bathing area to take a cold bath.


	2. A Lost Future

The Reclamation of a Bratty Prince

CHAPTER TWO

A Lost Future

{Note}

Previously the first chapter of the series. Thank you so much for all your support and love and kindness. Your reviews made my day and I just wanted to write something really good so I've begun editing and rewriting the series. I hope you guys enjoy this as much as I do.

{Warning}

The plot makes its entrance. Character death to be expected.

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He looked left and right before hurrying over to the other side. It had to be perfect. He had finally decided. It took him many years to get here and now, he was not going to turn back and he was sure that one person was going to be ecstatic about his decision. He could barely contain the anticipation and the excitement coursing through his veins. He wanted to sing. He wanted to dance. He could not decide what he wanted to do but one thing he did know: he was in love.

The man himself was no longer the short and skinny dark haired boy he had been only a few years back. His dark hair had grown out nicely and his features were more defined now. He was taller by a few inches as well, towering over his mother and Murata. Shori was still a few centimeters taller, but only by a few _measly_ centimeters. Twenty four years old, the man with curiously gentle eyes was looking forward to graduate from university in a few months. And tonight he was going to announce his decision to move permanently to a new address in a parallel universe, among other things of which the latter occupied his thoughts and sent nervous jitters down his nerves.

Mentally, he began ticking of the preparations for tonight - fresh white lilies so as to not give off a feminine touch, Merlot, red velvet cupcakes, vanilla-scented candles, and Jennifer would be taking care of dinner itself. Perfect! A hand came up to scratch his forehead as he wondered if it was enough. He knew he was forgetting something. His eyes grew wide as he realized he had missed the most obvious and important item of all!

The young man could barely contain his emotions. He could not wait to gaze into beautiful green eyes and say the words he had kept hidden in his heart. He could not wait for the future where they would always be together – side by side. He wanted that, but more than a future together, he wanted to make the owner of the green eyes the happiest he had ever been, and to the young man that was his dearest desire.

"Rings!" he said almost breathlessly, as he stopped abruptly in his tracks as the realization stunned him momentarily. Shaking himself out of his stupor, he was about to turn back and head to the city centre when he spotted a little girl crying in the middle of the street. Without thinking, the man with startling black hair jumped across the crowd, parting it in a hurry as he mindlessly aimed for the child.

_Please! I hope I'll make it in time_, he thought to himself.

However, the dark haired youth did not make it. He pushed her out of the way and as he turned to face the speeding vehicle, tires screeching in a futile attempt to stop before hitting the man who flew and landed a few metres ahead.

His blood began to stain the bitumen-paved road, his eyes fluttering open in an effort to focus on something or anything but when they closed once more, they would not open again.

The last thing the youth saw was a pair of lovely green eyes in a vision.

"I am so sorry for your loss," Naoya and a few of Yuuri's colleagues offered their condolences to a sobbing Jennifer, a solemn Shouma and a haggard Shori. Yuuri had been the core of their lives, their source of happiness and with Yuuri gone; there was no end to their grief.

Nagisa gently comforted her fiancé by rubbing his back in small circles. For the first time in his life, Shori laid his head on his fiancée's shoulder and cried. She herself could not have seen this coming. Yuuri was as much as a brother to her as he was to Shori. She was an orphan and when the Shibuya family had taken her in, she had truly regarded the handsome, kind and charming young man as the brother she never had. Tears began to form and she blinked them in an effort to dispel the transparent drops from flowing freely down her face. As it was, grief left a mark on every face present in the room.

Nagisa was a Mazoku herself and well understood Yuuri's importance as Maou of Shin Makoku, so she was perhaps the best one left to look after the representatives of Shin Makoku who were here to attend the funeral. Needless to say, amongst them were Conrad Weller and Wolfram von Bielefeld. Nagisa felt a violent lurch at the pit of her stomach. The past few days had left a toll on her digestive system. Every now and then, the need to retch would assail her as she hurled herself towards the nearest restroom. Luckily her stomach settled and she pushed the violent sensation down her stomach, hoping that it will stay that way.

As she came closer, she noticed the grave faces of the representatives and for once, there was no smile on Conrad's gaunt face. Wolfram, she noticed with a shock, looked horrible. The bloodshot eyes were nothing like their usual clear emerald eyes with sparkling with confidence bordering on arrogance, his usually rosy cheeks whiter than snow. His hair was greasy and dirty and badly needed to be washed. He was thinner than she remembered, and suddenly she realized that the eyes she previously thought were unfocused were actually focused on Yuuri's coffin.

Unable to contain her sadness, or her pity, or the sense of loss or the sight of Wolfram, she dropped to her knees and hugged the blond, crying. "Nagi-sa… how could he? We were…? Is this… real?" His voice was gruff with unshed tears - barely above a whisper, but Nagisa heard it all the same and the only the only reply she offered was her tears.

She tooks his hands and clutched them tightly. They were weaty and clammy. Wolfram had not cried, not wailed, not shed a tear. That itself was unlike the prince who was usually so forward with his emotions. Wolfram muttered something voicelessly and continued to stare at yuuri's coffin as if willing Yuuri to come back to life.

Nagisa slowly became aware of sudden warmth pulsing in her hands. Wolfram was now gripping her hands with a strength she knew but never experienced. She winced but he did not notice. It suddenly dawned on her that contrary to the colour of his skin, it was burning hot. The blond was running a high temperature. She looked to Conrad. He glanced towards her, unable to even muster the strength to smile. "I think Wolfram is very sick."

Concerned, Conrad touched Wolfram's forehead to check and nodded to Nagisa, indicating that she was right. As Conrad led Wolfram out of the funeral house where they were to cremate Yuuri's body, Wolfram's eyes never left sight of the sealed coffin where the body of his beloved lay cold.

* * *

><p>That night, Wolfram slept in Yuuri's room for the last time. He was to return with Conrad to Shin Makoku and will probably never return to Earth.<p>

He wore Yuuri's clothes to sleep that night. He could smell Yuuri's scent on the bed sheet. It was faint but it was still there. He wanted to surround himself with everything Yuuri – his things, his memories, his words and thoughts and desires. He needed Yuuri to survive.

_The wimp had run away, huh?_

He had arrived on time for the dinner party Yuuri had arranged for them. He had seen the surprise, the preparations and he had known somehow. Even when Jennifer hinted about the announcement that Yuuri was about to make that night – had he truly not known what the double black was going to say?

The recent months on Shin Makoku were like the events unfolding in a dream. Yuuri had taken him out for countless dates, on moonlit excursions and romantic picnics by a nearby lake. Yuuri had even gone through the trouble to learn the Waltz so that they could dance together. And at night when they slept together – that had been the biggest change of all. They would talk about everything under the sky – poverty, God, Shinou, marriage, and every other thing under sun.

Yuuri had even made the effort to cultivate a new strain of flower (no doubt under advice and supervision of Cherie). Wolfram's Golden Head was the most curious flower he had ever seen and he had no doubt that it was his mother who named the flower. True enough, the flower was a brilliant yellow, the same shade of his hair, with many small but transparent frilly petals and when it bloomed, the thick fragrance was like sweet jungle nectar that was fresh and invigorating yet at the same time, sensual and tantalizing.

Hot tears made their mark on Yuuri's pillow. That accursed night, he had waited anxiously for Yuuri's return, his heart bursting with happiness he could not believe. Yuuri was late. And that was when the news reached them – while they were sitting in the living room, smiling and chatting away happily.

"There was nothing we could do. He was long gone by the time the ambulance reached him."

How he had survived those moments – he could not remember. All Wolfram knew was that his head ached, his eyes burned with heat, his body was ill and his mind would not budge from the sight of Yuri's bloody face at the morgue. It was all unreal. Yuuri would barge in at any minute and declare that it was all a dream.

"He was a wimp till the end, huh?" Wolfram put his thoughts into words that were eaten up by the darkness. The eerily calm silence lengthened. "You ran away leaving me behind. But don't worry, Yuuri. I'm stronger than you. I'm going to prove that you are really a wimp," Wolfram promised the shadows, imagining them to be Yuuri's spirit.

* * *

><p>The next morning, when Wolfram woke up, the comforting shadows from the night before had disappeared. Now, Wolfram felt the weight sinking through his skin as the sunlight poured in through the blinds.<p>

He was alone.

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My loves, please read and review! -


	3. Life Goes On: When a Heart Breaks

The Reclamation of A Bratty Pince

CHAPTER THREE

Life Goes On – When a Heart Breaks

{Note}

Originally written as chapter two of the series. This occurs two years after Yuuri's death. When I was writing this chapter, I was listening to The Script. Gosh! I love his songs!

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_I'm still alive but I'm barely breathin…_

_Just prayed to a God I don't believe in…_

Shin Makoku was silent. Even the usual "Bad luck" chanting birds seemed to have vanished into the air itself. Everything was still – the courtyard, the hushed voices, the fake smiles , empty handshakes, shadowy silhouettes, faceless crowds, the harsh sunlight and the occasional breeze. Life at Shin Makoku lacked its usual robust energy. Even the chatty and chirpy maids had grown silent with solemnity that now engulfed the castle.

However, the youngest prince had yet to notice these things. His attention had been occupied elsewhere.

Today Wolfram was facing the newly crowned Maou of Shin Makoku, Gwendal von Voltaire who was now staring down at his younger brother, his face growing red with fury.

"Wolfram! How dare you disobey your brother and King!" the usually reserved man bellowed at the indifferent Wolfram. "This is the twelfth time!"

Wolfram stared emptily at his brother's face and repeated an explanation that was oh so similar to all his previous excuses. "… so I chased him and apprehended him and then punished him accordingly."

"Wait. Are you telling me that you needlessly chased a dangerous criminal without backup and in the process, damaged civilian property, and to top that off, you challenged him to a duel?" Gwendel's voice was now a roar, but Wolfram did not seem the slightest bit affected. "With your condition, you should know better than to challenge an esoteric wielder!" Gwendel's eyes were now shooting daggers at Wolfram but the blond seemed impervious.

Wolfram merely sighed and stared at the floor. The silence stretched and with it, Gwendel's patience. When Gwendel had finally decided to violently shake his brother, Wolfram suddenly muttered incoherently, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I.. I just wanted… alone… He left me alone."

Gwendel was suddenly pale. Was his brother talking about the previous Maou? " I can't. It hurts. I don't know. Nothing feels real. He… I…" Wolfram suddenly paused and sharply took in air into his lungs, "I wanted to help you."

Gwendel could now see the tears streaming unchecked down Wolframs face. It was the first time he had ever seen Wolfram cry and it broke his heart into tiny pieces. _Oh Shinou, where is Conrad when you need him!_ Gwendel groaned inwardly.

"Do you miss him?"

For a moment the question stunned Wolfram, and in the next moment, Wolfram was laughing like a maniac, thumping his palm on the large oak table as if the no-nonsense brother of his had suddenly told him a hilarious joke.

Miss _him_? Does the earth miss the rain? Does the moon miss the sun? Does a bird miss the sky? Does a fish miss the sea? Does a heart miss its beat?

No amount of tears could convey what Yuuri was to Wolfram, what he had grown to mean to the blond. No amount of sleepless nights and anguish could lessen the hurt or drive the memories away. Every corner, every place, every nook and cranny were filled with their memories and the jumped out at him like an elephant in the room.

When the hysteria slowly subsided, Wolfram's expression returned to that of a stone. "It's been two years."

Two years of anguish and lament. First, he sought comfort in the shadows of the castle, in their memories – keeping Yuuri alive with his things. He kept Yuuri's shampoo and uniform in his room. His baseball glove and law books which he studied at university were kept in Wolfram's quarters. Sometimes, Wolfram would turn a page, look at those inscrutable words and imagine Yuuri's brow furrowed together in concentration. Or when Lasagne would make curry for dinner, he would imagine the delight carving a smile on the double black's face. And Yuuri's hot, wet and very insistent tongue…

Wolfram shivered violently. Gwendel's frown deepened and he strolled over and held the door open for his brother. "Have some rest. You are hereby suspended from your duties temporarily. I will see you at dinner."

Wolfram frowned but bowed obediently and marched lifelessly out of Gwendel's study.

* * *

><p><em>What am I supposed to do when the best part of me was always you<em>

_And what am I supposed to say when I'm all choked up and you're okay_

_I'm falling to pieces, yeah…_

_I'm falling to pieces…_

Wolfram stared at the blank canvass for a long time. He knew what he wanted to paint. The image was forever engraved in Wolfram's memory - Yuuri's smile. But he lacked the energy to apply paint to the blank sheet in front of him. Or rather, he did not want to pour his feelings, fearing that it would hurt him more if he were to see that smile every day; a constant reminder of what he nearly had and lost.

Greta entered the room silently. Her Papa Wolfram was always morose, sitting in a corner staring blankly at a book, or a canvass. Since Papa Yuuri's death two years ago, Wolfram had become withdrawn. He hardly spent time with her anymore, but then again, he did not spend time with anyone.

Ten months after Papa Yuuri's death, Shori's wife had a son. Nagisa had insisted on having Conrad and Wolfram over and Shori extended an invitation to Conrad and Wolfram to attend the naming ceremony and to bless his firstborn. It made sense to maintain the diplomatic relations between worlds.

Conrad had been ecstatic. He missed his godson and going to Earth reminded him of Yuuri. He had been sure that Wolfram would jump at the opportunity, but to their surprise, Wolfram turned the invitation down with a nonplussed "I'm busy", excused himself and ran from the table as if avoiding the plague itself.

Gunther had stepped in to replace Wolfram and Greta decided to tag along. Nagisa had welcomed them all with open arms. Jennifer and Souma were excited to be grandparents and Jennifer kept on insisting that she would have Shori's son call her Jennifer instead of grandmother. Shori too looked happy with his wife and son. It looked like as if the Shibuya family was slowly getting over the grief of losing Yuuri.

Greta remembered the Earth Maou's newborn. He had big dark eyes and black hair – a double black, just like Shori and Yuuri. That was her new cousin, Shibuya Ren. Greta lifted and curled a finger around Ren's tiny fingers and the baby flashed his teeth and suddenly chuckled at his older cousin. The love and warmth from that smile seemed to waft about her. His fragile looking fingers grabbed hers with surprising strength. She planted a soft and gentle kiss at the top of his delicate head. Feeling sad that Papa Wolfram had decided to abandon the Shibuya family, Greta promised to love her cousin in place of both her fathers.

"Papa Wolfram?" Greta's spoke to the emptiness of the room, breaking her little daydream, hoping Wolfram would hear her.

Wolfram remained slouched in his chair. She noticed that although his body had become a little too slender than she would have liked, he was now eating properly compared to a year ago when he was no more than a bag of bones. She crossed the room and tentatively put a hand on Wolfram's shoulder.

Greta was no longer a child. She was now eighteen and of marriageable age and she moved with the grace and beauty of royalty. "Papa Wolfram, let's go down to dinner," she repeated, a little louder. Wolfram did not move, though he moved his grad to cover hers.

She tilted her head so that she could now see what Wolfram had drabbled with paint in the middle of the white canvass.

What she saw startled her and stung her eyes with tears.

It was a single word.

_Wimp_.

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><p><em>They say bad things happen for a reason<em>

_But no wise word's gonna stop the bleeding_

_Cause he's moved on while I'm still grieving_

_And when a heart breaks, it don't break even…_

_What am I supposed to do when the best part of me was always you_

_And what am I supposed to say when I'm all choked up and you're okay_

_I'm falling to pieces, yeah…_

_I'm falling to pieces, yeah…_

_I'm falling to pieces…_

_I'm falling to pieces…_

_I'm still alive but I'm barely breathin'_

_Just praying to a God I don't believe in…_


	4. Life Goes On: The End of a Reign

{Note}

Hello! It's me again. I was motivated to begin on the next chapter immediately, so here I am. I hope whoever is reading this enjoyed it as much as I did writing it because I write as inspiration comes so even I am not aware of the plot yet. This chapter takes place after 16 earth years and since time in Shin Makoku passes faster than time on earth, it has been sixty years in Shin Makoku (roughly… for the purpose of this fic :)

I had so much fun rewriting chapters 2,3 and 4. I hope you guys enjoy this as much as I am. I added a bit more to this chapter and the next to add depth since in the initial version, I cramped it all up into a single chapter. So here is my new version of TRoABP. I hope I do justice to the characters. Bear in mind that they're all grown up now (the entire cast) and I know what you're thinking – when is the reincarnated Yuuri or this new love interest going to make an appearance?

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The Reclamation of A Bratty Princ

4. Life Goes On – The End of a Reign

_And so the sun gives way to the moon,_

_And mountains give way to the sea;_

_Seasons give birth to seasons_

_As humans bear witness_

_To the turning wheels of time._

Wolfram smothered his hair for the last time, trying to plaster his flyaway strands to his head. Today was an important day and he always liked looking his best. He surveyed his reflection with a critical eye, from the crisp dark blue shirt tucked neatly into midnight blue pants and he wore a matching jacket with minimal gold trimmings. He did however wear a brooch with the von Bielefeld crest on it, decorated with emeralds and jade the colour of his eyes. Wolfram had long ago done away with bright colours, ruffles and intricate embroidery. He wore more solemn colours which he thought befitted his age.

_Time passes quickly_, he thought to himself. His himself had grown as tall as Gwendel, towering over others at the height of six feet two inches. His face had matured and chiselled out. He would never be mistaken for a beautiful boy ever again but yes, he was most definitely handsome. The fact neither delighted him nor saddened him; he merely acknowledged it as a part of his existence.

Satisfied with his appearance, Wolfram gave his attire a final appraisal before strutting out of the room and shutting the door behind him. Today was a very important day. Gwendel would be formally stepping down as Maou after serving for fifty nine years. It was truly a cause for celebration for never has any Maou ever reigned for as long as he did, nor had there been a longer period of peace in history between the Mazoku and the humans. _But there was a time of true peace when he sat on the throne…_

The wayward thought had made itself known suddenly, stopping Wolfram in his tracks and causing him to bump into someone. Turning to apologise, Wolfram found himself smiling up at the twinkling green-blue eyes of Edwin Farborough. "Wow Wolfram, how do you do it?" the honey-blond asked the flaxen prince with a mock puzzled expression.

Knocking Edwin on the head, Wolfram replied airily, belying his harmless threat, "Well, I try my best. Edwin, we better get going. I'm gonna slap your ass if something goes wrong you know."

"Sure, sure. Any day, Your Royal Highness. I'm only too willing to oblige the Maou's brother," Edwin continued, bowing his head in mock reverence, at which point Wolfram laughed. "Don't forget that I'm also the I lead the Council of Nobles and I'm Lord of the Treasury," Wolfram piped in cheerily. Truly, the man could not have a serious conversation with joking about something and for the umpteenth time, Wolfram was struck by the disparity in his demeanour and his actual military capability. He was his father's son alright. Shin Makoku had no better swordsman or military officer to boast of if not Edwin Farborough.

The carefree banter continued all the way to Shinou's Temple. Shinou had finally released his soul from the trappings outside the time continuum, where life and death is just a law of nature. However, many continued to pray to Shinou despite his disappearance. Nobody knows about the exact circumstances in which Shinou managed to do what he did but Wolfram was sure that the Daikenja knew. He always knew.

* * *

><p>He noticed immediately when Wolfram first strolled into the hall where the ceremony was to take place. The first thing he saw was the golden halo on his head. Gosh, how he loved Wolfram's golden hairs! He remembered their smell, their taste, their silky texture and how his hair would form a cloud around the Prince's head. He remembered the feel of them as his hands would dig into the blond's scalp, grabbing them as he moaned under Wolfram's powerful thrusts.<p>

He wanted it. He wanted them together. Panting, kissing, wet, melting together as the smell of sex drowned them. He wanted Wolfram. He saw cheery-faced Edwin walk comfortably beside his lover and an ugly feeling burned beneath his chest. He knew the youngster was in-love with Wolfram. He could see it in his eyes.

Parting through the crowd, he tried to keep his eyes on the prince's lean figure but the crowd was moving now and he lost track of Wolfram's golden mane. "Shit!" he exclaimed angrily and walked to the nearest exit. Flinging the wide doors open, he inhaled sharply. He hated crowds. When his father had asked him to accompany him as the heir and representative of the Dante family, he had resisted at first but when he realized that Wolfram would also be attending the event, he was only too eager to comply.

He had first met Wolfram six months ago in a costume party. The blond was a spectacular specimen of beauty and he had been enthralled by it at first sight. He was not the only one who wished that the Prince would invite them to his bedroom. After all, Prince Wolfram was a well-known heartbreaker who callously loved and dumped women and men alike.

That night, he had been too drunk. He had wandered into the blond's room uninvited. Wolfram had caught him and held his wrists behind his back.

"You were the one staring at me all evening. Tell me, are you in love with me or are you trying to kill me?"

Wolfram's eyes were crinkled in what was supposed to be a smirk but his eyes were hard and somehow… lonely.

It was at that moment that the young lad knew – "I… I love you."

Wolfram freed his hands and left him standing in the middle of the room. For a while he was silent, and staring at the dark night sky from the balcony before turning to the lad, crooking a finger and smiled seductively.

"So will you warm me with your body tonight?"

A chill ran down his spine at the look in Wolfram's eye. He had slept with a few women but never men. "Yes." His whisper was barely audible but Wolfram had already expected an affirmative response.

Wolfram approached the boy, his features becoming clearer to blond. The man was young – very young. Probably only twenty. He had bright red hair and his eyes were a startling blue.

"You obviously know who I am. Tell me your name."

The young lad looked and up and smiled widely in the dimly lit room.

"My name is Martin. Martin Dante."

* * *

><p>The guests filled into the temple of Shinou. All of the ten noble families were present and so were the royal family. Gwendel stood in the center of the platform where the ritual was to take place. The corridor leading to the inner sanctum of the temple had been blocked by a thick curtain bearing Shinou's crest.<p>

Ulrike stood above the knelled King and sprinkled holy water to cleanse his body and spirit. The shrine maidens surrounded them, singing an ancient hymm of thanksgiving for a peaceful reign. Ulrike blessed Gwendel's eyes for his vigilance and his feet for carrying the burdens only a Maou must, and his hands for fighting and defending his people.

When he had been blessed, Gwendel walked slowly towards the inner sanctum. The temple priestesses sprinkling holy oil, rose water and petals of different flowers along the path, moving with the Maou. Gwendel finally stopped in front of the heavy curtain. Here, Gwendel was to confess to his deeds as Maou.

Ulrike, who acted as the voice of Shinou judged him for his deeds and if he was found worthy, he would be granted access to the inner sanctum, where his wife and daughter was waiting to welcome a husband and father.

It was time for Ulrike to pass judgement and she found him worthy of Shinou's blessings.

"Who stands on the other side?" Annisina von Voltaire asked loudly.

"It is I, thy husband," Gwendel replied.

"Who stands on the other side?" sixty-five year old Gerda asked haughtily.

"It is I, thy father," Gwendel replied in a calm voice.

"We welcome you into our home to rest and thank thee for thy service, for thy love and for thy sacrifice. Gwendel von Voltaire, we acknowledge you as former Maou of the Great Nation of Shin Makoku and bid you step behind this curtain to mark thy descent from the throne," mother and daughter chirped in unison.

Stepping behind the curtain to join his family, Gwendel performed the last ritual by announcing loudly to the crowd, "I, Gwendel von Voltaire formally relinquish my title, power and position to the regent, Prince Wolfram von Bielefeld till the coronation of the next Maou." A thunderous applause greeted the end of the formal rites.

All that was left now was the second part of the ceremony.


	5. Life Goes On: A Prophecy

The Reclamation of A Bratty Pince

CHAPTER FIVE

Life Goes On – A Prophecy

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Now that the 28th Maou of Shin Makoku had formally vacated his throne, Ulrike conjured a great sphere in the middle of the Shinou's altar where she was to divine the location of the selected person who is to become the next Maou.

The sphere emanated a soft yellow light that soon enveloped Ulrike who was now deep in meditation. The shrine maidens began singing a song that was traditionally used to call Shinou's spirit but in this case, it was to guide Ulrike back to her physical body.

_Across the seven-coloured rainbow, lies a path of gold_

_Across the seven seas, seven nations doth behold_

_Across the snow laden path, that has covered all of yesterday's guilt_

_Let it melt, let it fall,_

_The glory of our Lord,_

_The Great Shinou._

_Hear this song and answer our call,_

_O glorious Lord,_

_Hear this song and answer our call._

The shrine maidens continued to sing the same song over and over again. A good twenty minutes had passed and Wolfram could now feel the tiny beads at the back of his neck dripping down his back when Ulrike suddenly screamed. Her face was as white as a ghost.

"He…"

Ulrike began to say something but the light surrounding her quickly began to dissipate and she fell unconscious to the stone floor.

Wolfram stared aghast at what had just happened. _What just happened?_ he wondered.

Wolfram gathered his wits before anyone else and was the first to kneel beside the unconscious priestess, scooped her tiny body into his arms and brought her to the inner sanctum of the shrine, where only the Priestess and royalty could enter.

Gisela was hurried in to assess the Priestess of Shinou.

"Well," Wolfram prompted. "What's wrong with her?"

"As far as I can tell, nothing, Your Majesty," Gisela answered, her brow creased. "It's probably shock."

_Shock_, Wolfram thought to himself. _Nothing could faze the old hag anymore_. After all, Ulrike has served as Shinou's priestess for over 150 years.

"She'll awake shortly Your Majesty," Gisela bowed and left the room and Wolfram was soon joined by his brothers and sister-in-law.

After a few minutes, Ulrike slowly opened her eyes and gazed emptily at the ceiling.

"Are you alright?" Annisina put a hand on Ulrike's frail shoulder.

Ulrike did not answer but after a lengthy silence, began to speak, "He will be the source of great turmoil in this country. He will bring war to these lands and the peace of seventy years will be broken."

This announcement surprised everyone in the room. Annisina gasped and pulled in hand back in horror and Gwendel frowned but extended a hand to comfort his wife. Conrad's features tightened. War had left plenty of scars on their very lives and they welcomed the news as one would welcome a wet rat.

Wolfram frowned. He was the leader of the military since Conrad had resigned two years ago. If a war was to break out, it was his responsibility to prevent that from happening.

"Is it Big Cimaron?" Wolfram asked.

Ulrike did not respond. In fact, it seemed as if the question, once uttered, had evaporated into thin air.

"He will hail from the land where our ancestors now sleep, the twin of this holy land. He is not yet a man but when that threshold is breached, his destiny will be fulfilled."

_Twin of this holy land?_ Wolfram asked himself. Ulrike was not making sense.

"His purpose will determine his destiny. Should he fail or lose this purpose, our land will fall to ruin. Should he triumph, he shall bring lasting peace. But…" Ulrike paused and heaved heavily.

Gwendel sighed. He hated bad news. Ulrike continued.

"His path is not yet set. And I foresee many will attempt to abduct or take his life. His destiny is too great. His light attracts darkness like a moth to a flame. If he were to lose his life, Shin Makoku will fall and the rest of the world will return to chaos."

This time, Ulrike did not continue. She closed her eyes and slowly drifted to sleep. No one uttered a word. One by one, slowly everyone left the room. Lost his thoughts, Wolfram did not realised until much later that he was now the only one beside Ulrike.

_Twin of this holy land. Where our ancestors now sleep_.

Something about those words disturbed him. Suddenly, Wolfram started. _She could not mean – surely! She could not possibly mean that place! That polluted and noisy world – the tiny planet run by metal beings and mechanical gadgets. She could not mean Earth!_

Gwendel had announced to the crowd that Ulrike was only suffering from fatigue and for the moment is unable to divine the location of the next Maou. He told them that the divination of the new Maou ceremony will take place in six months during which Ulrike will convalesce.

* * *

><p>Dinner was a silent affair and Wolfram was no fan of quiet dinners.<p>

Everyone merely plucked at their food, making appropriate noises. Annisina was obviously absent, locked away in her lab in an attempt to create an ultimate weapon. Her daughter accompanied her, and gave ideas on how to construct a weapon capable of massive destruction.

"So," Wolfram drawled, "who do you this this person is?"

Gwendel looked up from his plate calmly. "And who is this person that you are referring to?"

"The one Ulrike mentioned, obviously!" Wolfram spat. He hated it when something, anything reminded him of that planet. That place that had robbed him of his future!

Conrad said in a quiet voice, barely above a whisper, "Probably the new Maou."

Wolfram stared. Gwendel nodded twice and resumed his dinner.

"This is not possible…"

Wolfram stared at his plate_. This is not possible. There is no way that the next Maou could come from Earth. No way that the next Maou would bring about such destruction._

Wolfram looked at his hands. He remembered the feeling the nervous trembling of Ulrike's small frame.

"_He will bring disaster."_

When Wolfram finally emerged from the maelstrom of emotions smothering him, he found his thoughts straying. _If only Yuuri…_

* * *

><p>Biology was definitely not her favourite subject, she decided. Her marks on the last test decided that for her.<p>

The class was quickly emptied, except for her. Ren was going to meet her here and take her out on a date.

She mused about it a little. Ren and her had been together ever since kindergarten. They had started out as enemies, each leading the faction of kindergarten student against the other. It was typical of kindergarten dynamics, she later realised – boys versus girls. But even then, they had been more like comrades than enemies.

So they had entered the same school, the same class. For three years. She remembered thinking the coincidence was uncanny. Sure, some of her girlfriends said it was fate. Easily said since Ren was easily the best looking guy in the entire year.

However, the coincidence didn't stop there. They went to the same cram schools, had the same part-time jobs, joined the same clubs. It frightened her sometimes. Even more than the violent dreams where a person with blond hair kept whispering in her ears to come back.

She recalled the vision involuntarily. A young man of incredibly good looks was staring down at her, hand outstretched, asking her to come home. His voice was etched with grief but the shadows and blood stains behind him kept her silent. She could the outline of dead bodies and the crying and wailing that faintly came from somewhere behind him – in the moving shadows.

The dream was occurring more frequently than it used to and sometimes it changed – in one dream, he was kissing her and in another, they were fighting on a desolate plain.

She frowned.

She was grateful that Ren had asked her out. She had just broken up with her boyfriend of three years. He had cheated on her with a close friend and Ren had asked her out on a date in an attempt to get back at the jerk.

She smiled. Thinking of Ren always brought a smile to her lips. He had always been there for her, always cheered her and he was a friend that no one could replace. She sometimes wondered why she never fell for him nor he for her and then she recalled the pained eyes of the blond man of her dreams.

Those eyes were full of more than tears and sorrow and grief – it was bursting with pain, loneliness, longing and… love.

Those eyes scared her. Those eyes were asking too much from her. After all, she was positive she had never met such a man and despite that. she could not deny that she was thoroughly fascinated with the blond. She was sure that if she took his hand, she could almost utter his name…


	6. A Short Date

The Reclamation of a Bratty Prince

CHAPTER SIX

A Short Date

{Note}

I couldn't stop. Here's the next chapter. Hope you like it. I had lots of fun with this chapter. I rewrote it three times just to get it right.

Many thanks to everyone who has read TROABP and thank you for your support. I still think my writing is crap but your continued support has been a great motivation. A special thanks goes out there for my very first reviewer, Yumi-chan Hamano.

Now some notes on the story. I lost the basic outline of the characters when my laptop crashed awhile back, so if there are any discrepancies, mistakes or grammatical and spelling errors, don't hesitate to notify me. Also, I'm sorry Yumi-chan, you're going to have to figure that out yourself. In the time being, I'm going to try and spice up the story to add to the suspense. ;P

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_Our love is vast as the seas._

_As the seas cannot be parted,_

_So I'll believe you will return to me._

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"OMG. Seriously, Christian Bale has to be the best Batman –EVER. No, I'm not kidding. Like 'ever' in 'forever'."

Raina pouted slightly when Ren suddenly burst out laughing. "Dude, that ain't cool".

Ren laughed a little more and when he didn't stop, Raina swatted him on the arm which caused him to yelp a little.

"I swear, I will never understand girls. You've been crazy over that Bale guy since you saw 'Terminator: Salvation'," Ren said with a smile in his voice. His face however was held together by a frown as he soothed the tender skin where she had swatted him.

"Yep," Raina continued with a huge smile, "and 'American Psycho'. And 'Reign of Fire'. And 'The Prestige'. And don't you roll your eyes at me – " Raina enunciated each syllable before swatting him again on the arm.

"Raina, if I wanted to be abused by some chick, just for the fun of it, I'd never call you," Ren suddenly said with a solemn face.

"Huh? What's that supposed to mean?" Raina asked, puzzled.

"It means that even if you were the last female on the planet, I would never ask for your company – even if it was merely to add diversity amongst my companions," Ren replied, teasing.

Raina did not swat his arm away this time. Instead she laughed with him.

They had been friends for a very long time. Raina Deshmukh was the daughter of a prominent member from the Indian Embassy. She had lived next door to the Shibuya's who had immense political and economic power as te owners of a growing multinational corporation – the Maou Group of Companies.

The success of the Maou Group was entirely due to the shrewd cunning of Shibuya Shori, a name that was uttered with the utmost respect, awe and fear. Under his direction, the group had diversified their interests into clean bio-energy research, making them pioneers in the field. Shori had also extended and improvised their shipping business – envirogating the dying business by coming up with innovative methods by incorporating the latest technology and emphasized on new, lucrative routes. Truly, Shori was a man to be reckoned with.

When Raina had first met Ren, she had expected a spoilt boy who had lived a sheltered life, all his wishes fulfilled, and servants waiting on him hand and foot. She had met Rika before, his younger sister of two years who was a spoilt, cunning and manipulative child. But what greeted her was a young boy, the same age as she, who smiled unguardedly and extended a friendly hand and said with a cheerful voice, "Hello! Where are you from? I'm Ren."

Raina was no stranger to the art of meeting strangers. She had been introduced, reintroduced and forced to make small talk with people older to her from a young age due to her father's profession. But even as a child, she knew that as an Indian, she was always being measured. People looked at her and judged her for her her worthiness. They looked at her like one would an exotic creature but that didn't make her feel special. Instead, she felt like a caged animal in the zoo. Which was why, when Ren had so earnestly extended his hand in friendship without pretenses, Raina had been taken aback.

Sure, she resisted his charm at first. She was not stupid. She was sure that the son Shori was so proud of was truly a jerk at heart but as the years progressed, her resistance too slowly crumbled.

"So, did you tell Rika that you were taking me out on a date," Raina asked playfully.

Ren sent her an worried look. "Yes, I did. She was absolutely furious, though. I have no idea why she hates you, but she was crying and begged me to promise not to marry you."

Raina smiled evilly. No matter how shrewd, manipulative and vindictive Rika was to the rest of the world, in front of the two people she loved most in the world, Rika was a crybaby and a doting family member. She absolutely adored her mother, Nagisa to pieces and her affection towards her brother was not any less intense. She did not tolerate anyone getting in the way of her spending time with her mother and brother (which Raina often did, making her the first on Rika's Hate-list). Raina often thought that the only adjective one could use to describe her love was stifling, but Ren always disagreed with her on that. After all, he really doted on his 'little sister'.

"Sure, she did," she said gleefully, "I'm the only girl you hang out with. In her eyes, I'm the evil witch who has snatched you from her."

"Raina, stop with the bad jokes already. Rika isn't like that. And you're my best friend. So what if you're a girl. We're practically family," Ren replied with a serious face. His serious face was the expression he lapses into when he talks about serious or solemn things. But what he did not realize is that it makes him look like his eyebrows look like they're raised – as if he was constantly looking surprised.

Raina accidentally let out a gurgle of laughter.

"What's the matter with you? Why do you look so surprised all the time? Cut it out already," Raina laughed.

"Well, sure. If you'd migrate to planet Pluto. And maybe the lack of sunlight and long days will cause you to reconsider and stop making fun of my serious face. You're seriously doing some mojo-killing here," he joked.

Raina paused and stared at him pointedly. "Seriously? That's lame."

Ren laughed sheepishly, a hand going behind his head and ruffling the hair there.

"I know. But you're the only one listening. So it's fine. You've witnessed far embarrassing stuff anyways. And if you blabbed you mouth, I'd just have to kill you. Simple," Ren joked.

"Okay, now I know you've watching too much of 'Dexter'.."

"Of course! It's the best show out there," Ren announced proudly, albeit a little too loud.

"Okay, and now is a good time to put your hand across my shoulders and let's pretend you said something really funny."

"Huh? What are you talk-"

"Ex-boyfriend. Three o'clock."

True enough, a blond boy stood a short distance away from them. He was looking at them, his hands around a much younger girl.

'I do not understand why Raina only ever goes after blond guys. I mean, why blonds? And he's the worst type,' Ren said to himself. It was not that he was jealous or any such thing, but he truly cared for her. This was the third guy this year to break her heart. In the end, they always said that she was too aloof, too frigid, too smart, too beautiful, too… everything. In all honesty, it would have pleased him greatly to punch the lights of her ex-boyfriends but he knew it was really none of his business. In exchange, he would try to cheer up by sending her chocolates, or taking her out to the movies or taking a trip to the museum. It didn't hold a special fascination for him, but the history museum delighted Raina. She knew everything about every artifact, their history and culture. It would not surprise him if day she woke up and decided to pursue a career as a historian.

"Okay, now drop your hand around my waist and count to five. Then pull me closer to you," Raina instructed, pulling him out of his thoughts.

"Aye aye, captain."

Out of the corner of his eye, he made sure that the ex-boyfriend was looking at them. And after counting to five, He pulled her close, and snuggled just to piss him off. He opened one eye to check. Verdict: mission successful!

They were unaware of the picture of absolute bliss that they painted. Both of them were fair with dark eyes and dark hair. Raina was beautiful with oval eyes hemmed by long dark lashes, prominent cheekbones and a long nose bridge. Her eyes were a deep black and if you stared long enough, it felt like the depths of her eyes pulled people into them. Her black silky tresses curled, framing her face in the most delightful way. Her features suggested an air of femininity and fragility. To sum it up, Raina was breathtakingly beautiful. Ren, on the other hand, was something else.

Towering at a height of five feet eleven inches, he was tall for a Japanese. His years of training in Aikido, kendo and fencing gifted him with an agile and toned body. His eyes were dark, almost black like a starless sky. He had high cheekbones and an anglar jaw. His face was a little thin but Asian skin gave him a healthy glow. His eyes were wide and intelligent, something he felt he inherited from his beloved grandmother, Jennifer. His hair was a little long, but not long enough to be considered shaggy. He was indeed a handsome young man, and together with Raina, they looked like a very good-looking couple.

A child suddenly jumped from a tree and crashed into them, causing them to stumble backwards. Ren tripped over something but as he fell, he grabbed Raina to steady himself. Instead, he pulled her with him and they both fell into the pond.

Except that they didn't.

They were nowhere to be found.


	7. Lost

The Reclamation of a Bratty Prince

CHAPTER SEVEN

Lost

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{Note}

Hello again! Thank you everyone for reading TROABP. It's really awesome. It does huge things to my ego. I hope you guys thought the previous chapter was funny. I tried to make it as funny as possible but you guys are the ones who must pass judgment on that.

Firstly, I apologise for all the lame poetry and songs that I tend to put into the story. I was re-reading the previous chapters when I suddenly realized that they were seriously lame. If I ever get a chance, I will rewrite them in the future.

Also, I want to wish everyone who is fasting this month a safe and blessed fast.

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"Be careful, Ren! Are you trying to kill me?" Raina muttered, annoyed. _Great_, she thought. _My hairs all wet like a wet rag._ She did not see but rather heard Ren spluttering away. _He must have swallowed some of the water._

_"_Hey kid, you alri-" she began when she suddenly realised the kid wasn't there. In fact, no one was there.

They were alone on a deserted beach.

"Raina, what did you do?" Ren looked at her with his serious face, eyebrows raised.

"I don't know. Wait, wait a minute. We were in the middle of a park and a kid bumped into us, right? You stumbled and pulled me with you, " Raina recounted with a smile she infused with a confidence she did not feel.

"Raina, why are we at a beach? Or wait, is this a dream? I must have hit my head hard. Odd, but it doesn't hurt. Rather, my throat hurts. I must have swallowed a lot of seawater," Ren said as he sat down on a stone. He reached for his cellphone in his back pocket and flipped it open. _No signal. Well, that makes sense. This is a dream, after all._

"No signal? Figures. This is bad luck after bad luck. You can't seriously think that you're dreaming. You can take my word for it - I'm not a figment of your imagination," Raina muttered darkly. Ren could see that she was beginning to panic.

"Maybe, you've hit you head too. Maybe we're both unconscious in the real world and we somehow are communicating telepathically," Ren offered as explanation.

Raina considered it for a while. _It definitely makes sense. I've read of such things before. Guess that's that._ With that, Raina found a rock of her own and sat down. After a few seconds, she smiled and the tension visibly left her body. "Gosh, I was really freaked out. So what do we do now? I'm hungry."

Ren laughed. "See, nothing to worry about. I bet we'll wake up soon. In the meanwhile, let's enjoy ourselves. Good thing we're prepared for this, or we'd be freaking out thinking that we're kidnapped by aliens or something." Ren tried to wring his shirt and jeans as dry as possible before putting them on.

"I'll check out the area and see if there's anyone around. I doubt it. But since, it's a dream, our subconscious may conjure something," he laughed.

Raina flashed him an incredulous look. The jerk was having fun with this. Everything was a breeze to Shibuya Ren. _Can the guy take anything seriously?_ An image of his serious face entered her mind and she smiled. "Alright. I'll try to dry myself as much as possible. Holler when you're nearby so that I can make myself decent."

"Aye, Captain Raina!" and with that, Ren climbed a sandy dune.

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><p>Ren walked a good mile before he found a house at the edge of beach. There was smoke coming out of the chimney so he thought it may be inhabited. <em>Finally, people! <em>He thought joyously.

He knocked on the door and waited for a response. A half minute passed before a knocked again, louder this time. Still, no one answered the door.

Ren was now becoming a little irritated. True, he hated crowds and preferred a select company of friends, but he was really looking forward to seeing some familiar faces. Or at least he hoped, it was a familiar face. After all, he believed that he was stuck in a dream.

"Hello!" he shouted, "Anyone home?" This time , he tried the door knob. The door opened. For a while, Ren debated if it was okay to walk into someone else's house. But since it is a dream, he figured that trespassing was harmless.

The house itself was small and consisted of a bedroom, a living room, a huge bathroom and a kitchen. Everything about the place had a rustic feel to it. The kitchen struck him as odd, though. It looked like a kitchen from the Elizabethan era or something. It had a stone oven and it looked like food was cooked over an actual fire (with firewood). _Maybe this is Raina's dream. It does seem like something she'd come up with._

The bedroom itself was simple and elegant, with a huge oak ornate bed. Ren wasn't into such things specifically, but he appreciated the skill and handiwork that went into making the bed. What really intrigued however, was the beautiful cream and gold gown with dark purple trimmings that were casually draped over a chair.

It was really beautiful. Now Ren had had his share of dresses. His grandmother, who raised him till his teens, always decked him in dresses. Jennifer used to say that he was pretty for a boy and he'd look better in a dress. In fact, it was quite a shock when he found out that he was a boy when he was in kindergarten. Since he'd always worn dresses, he grew up thinking he was a girl. It was really a dark mark on his past, something he had stashed at the very back of his memories.

But for some reason, the dress drew his gaze to it. Somehow, he knew that the dress would look good on him. _Shit! No way! There's no way I'm wearing that dress._

A voice at the back of head teased him. _You know you want to. I mean, nobody's watching. And this is a dream._

_Yeah, right. There's no way I'm putting of a dress. I swore never to._

_Promises are made to be broken. Come on. Give it a try. It's gorgeous._

"No way," Ren said aloud and turned away before he changed his mind.

He went to the kitchen, picked up some foodstuff and retraced his steps back to the beach.

* * *

><p>"You idiot! I told you to holler when nearby!" Raina screamed and she jumped simultaneously when he flashed a casual "Hi" from behind her.<p>

Ren merely grinned.

"So, did you find anything? Or anyone?" Raina asked, settling down. Her blouse was dirty and torn in some places. Her jeans were fine but it was wet, like his, and clammy.

He took out whatever he could find - some bread, cheese, grapes and apples. Ren threw Raina and apple, which landed on her lap. She bit into it and moaned. "Oh, I'm starving!"

Ren tore of some cheese and flipped it into his mouth. Next he tore some bread and stuffed it in as well. He understood how Raina felt. For some reason, he felt drained and tired.

They ate their meal in silence.

When they were done, Raina asked him where he had obtained the food from and he told her about the empty house.

"You found an empty house? Great! I need a shower and a change of clothes." Raina jumped to her feet and rubbed her belly. "Gosh, I'm still hungry and my body aches all over. This dream seems a little too realistic but at the same time, it's ridiculous!"

Ren ended up taking Raina to the house. He didn't want to at first, but he did want to show her the kitchen. The dress was gorgeous, he did not want her to have it. It was not as if he _wanted_ to wear it, but rather he did not want to see anyone else wear it. Honestly, he was surprised at how possessive he was about the dress.

Flinging the front door open, Raina walked in as if she owned the place. The first place she went to was the kitchen.

"Oh my God. It's authentic. Look at the scrapes and scratches. People actually cook using such medieval methods? And look at that pot. Guess what this is?" Raina said, holding up a beautiful jar.

"I don't know, a vase?" Ren offered, tickled at Raina's enthusiasm.

"It's a spittoon, dumbass!" Raina laughed.

Raina explored the other parts of the house and gushed at the authenticity and the beauty of the furnishing. At last, she entered the bedroom. However, to Ren's surprise, it was not the great ornate oak bed that took up three-quarters of the room that interested her.

"Is that a gown?" Raina asked, picking up the gorgeous article of clothing and scrutinizing it. "It's really beautiful."

Ren was a little disappointed although he did not understand why. "Do you want to put it on?"

"Huh? Nah! Such things don't suit me. I prefer darker colours. I was thinking that you might wear it..." Raina looked at him from beneath her lashes and pouted pitifully.

Ren took a step back. "Raina, no. There's no way, I'll wear that. I'm a guy."

"Yes, and you've gone drag before. Remember our play two years ago. You played Sleeping Beauty."

"But that was because it was feminist week! They wanted you to play the Prince. And you were the one who said you'd only do it if I were the Princess."

"Please be my Princess now. I mean, I've seen you in drag a million times. Your grandmother use to dress you up all the time."

"Raina..."

"Ren, please."

To be perfectly honest, Ren had no trouble dressing in women's clothes. He quite enjoyed it when people mistook him for a girl. But it was not something he did on a daily basis or for the fun of it.

"Okay," Ren agreed. "But we are not leaving this room dressed like... this," he said, gesturing towards the dress.

Raina helped him get into the dress, lacing the corset at the back and stuffing his chest with his shirt. She spotted a red wig (it really was a coincidence) in the corner and put it on his head. Ren protested, but in the end, he gave in to Raina's persuasion.

When he looked at himself in the mirror, he could not recognise himself. He looked like another person. His hips looked shapely thanks to corset and his narrow waist. He had been told that he had a feminine face before but today he understood why. He was pretty. In fact, he was very pretty. The red wig did wonders for his features, accentuating the high cheekbones, softening the angular jaws and bringing out the glow of his skin.

"My, my, I have a pretty boy on my hands," Raina smiled, smug.

"Alright, it's your turn. Pick something from the wardrobe."

Raina picked a green dress with black lace. It had an edgy and sexy feel to it. It suited Raina's style and temperament.

The dress was made from satin and while it did not have a corset with it, Ren was needed to button the dress down the back.

When he was done, he surveyed his companion. The dress exposed a little cleavage but otherwise, the sleeves were long and emphasised the shape of her arms and hips.

"My, my, aren't we a pair of gorgeous women?" Ren teased in a mock female voice. He was about to remove his wig and take off the dress when the bedroom door slammed open and three unsavory looking men poured into the room.

One had a scar above his eye and some missing teeth while another was carrying a sword.

"Bless Shinou, what do we have here?"


	8. Realization

The Reclamation of a Bratty Prince

CHAPTER EIGHT

Realization

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{Note}

I would firstly, like to thank Elle von Werner who inspired me to write this story. I can't thank the community for supporting my work and helping me grow as a writer. Only yesterday, I was reading someone else's work and a million ideas flooded into my mind for this fic. It involves vampires, thugs and maybe - a sequel!

I wondered if the length of the chapters is okay. I actually wanted to make it longer, but it seems that 1,700 to 2,000 words a day is my limit. I could write longer chapters if you guys prefer it. Honestly, personally I prefer 2,500 to 3,000 words in length.

Once again, if there are any mistakes or discrepancies, please do not hesitate to notify me about it so that I may rectify the error.

Do read and review. It is my first fic and I'm rather nervous. Dropping by to let me know what your thoughts are about the characters is very helpful and insightful. Please review - even if it was just to say that my little rhymes kinda suck.

PS: I don't know if you've noticed, but I've changed the description of the story. Please share your thoughts on that.

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Ren was stupefied, but only for a moment. This dream was definitely not his. _What on earth is Raina thinking of? Her ex-boyfriends? Thugs, that's what I needed when I'm in a dress! God, why am I stuck in Raina's stupid dream?_

He looked at Raina through the corner of his eye. Raina was staring at the three men with her mouth open. _Guess I recovered faster from the shock._

The three men had said something when they burst into the room unannounced. He wasn't sure what they had said. The language they spoke was one he was sure he didn't know but for some reason, it felt nostalgic. Ren didn't have to understand what they had said to guess what they were thinking because it clearly depicted in their open stares.

He spoke to Raina softly in Japanese, "I'll take one Scar Eye and Sword Guy. You try to knock the skinny one out with something."

Without a pause, Ren lurched forward, gave Scar Eye an uppercut and kicked him right it the stomach. Ren barely dodged Skinny punch, which he spotted only at the last second. Apparently Skinny here actually had some skills. He had underestimated the guy. But he was wasting time. If Skinny was more skillful, he needed to knock out the Sword Guy because Raina would not be able to take him on. Giving Skinny a spinning kick which knocked him sideways, Ren turned and aimed for Sword Guys jaw. Unfortunately, he was too late. Sword Guy was carrying an unconscious Raina in his arms.

Ren hesitated. Now that sword guy had Raina in his arms, he was afraid that anything he did would result in them harming her. It was a bit too late when Ren realized that he had paused for too long because the next thing he knew was the sensation of something crashing on his head and his vision growing dim.

* * *

><p>When Ren came too, the first thing he felt was throbbing at the crown of his head. He whimpered softly and tried to move a little. His body ached all over and he let out a long moan.<p>

"Ren? Are you awake?"

Ren opened his eyes. It was dark. The voice was familiar. Raina.

Ren gingerly pushed himself up. For some reason, he felt as if he was rolled up in a mattress because the clothing he was wearing was weighing him down.

"Why is it so dark in here? Raina? Where are we?" Ren mumbled groggily. His hurt was still throbbing but it wasn't so painful anymore.

"I don't know."

There was a strange sense of alarm and worry in her three words that struck Ren as odd. "Whaddya mean?"

"I mean, I don't know, Ren. But wherever this is, it is not a dream."

_Dream?_ Ren thought. _What is she talking about?_ But as the thought suddenly appeared in his head, he began to recollect the memories from before he hurt his head. A million questions were running through his mind - where were they? Who were those guys? Where were they headed? Where is this place? And at the back of his head where question he did not even know yet.

"Yeah, there's no way this is a dream. My head hurts too much. It wouldn't hurt this much in real life." His mouth hurt a little. He tried moving his jaw. _Seems fine. Maybe my lips are swollen or something._

Raina said nothing in reply. This worried Ren.

"Raina, are you okay? What happened?"

He heard Raina sigh. He wished he could see her clearly, just to make sure he was alright.

"I'm fine Ren. It's just. I passed out when the guy with sword came near me. I'm sorry." She paused for a while. Ren let out a sigh of relief. He had worried that the other guy had hurt her. "When I woke up, we we're both in a cage of some kind, at the back of a cart. We're still in it, but we're not moving anymore."

_No wonder the air feels so cramped in here. _"Did they give you a hint about where they're taking us?"

"Ren, I... I..." Raina began but then stopped. After a few seconds, she tried again. "For some reason, I understand what they're saying. It's crazy." From this point on, Raina tone became a little hysterical. "I mean, I don't know why. This isn't a dream anymore. We fell into a pond and now, we're stuck in some alternate dimension of something. We've got no money, no contacts and no idea of how to get back. I... I'm scared."

"Raina, you... you know what they're saying? How's that possible? Is it telepathy? Wait, an alternate dimension? That can't be it. It's not possible to open up an alternate dimension just by falling into a pond!" Ren exclaimed, panicking himself. He was trying to soothe Raina but he was losing it too.

"How would I know, you jerk? I'm stuck here too. I don't know where we are or how we came here. I had enough of those foreigners grabbing and pulling at my hair! I don't want to be here anymore than you do."

"Look, Raina. I'm sorry. I'm just really worried. What the hell just happened? And why didn't you tell me that they were pulling your hair? Did they... touch you anywhere?" Ren's voice suddenly grew chilly.

Raina shivered a little. Ren was very protective over her. "I would have told you, but I did not have a chance. I don't know why but they were obsessed with my hair and my eyes. For some reason, they kept referring to me as 'Double Black' but I have no idea what they mean or what they mean to do with me. I'm scared, Ren. For the first time in my life, I'm truly scared."

"Did they do anything else to you? Did you speak with them?" Ren enquired gently when he felt her come closer to him.

Raina snuggled beside him and held his hand. "No, they did not molest me. I didn't say anything to them although they asked me for our names and particulars a few times. I didn't say anything though. Can't trust these guys. They look like thugs."

"Gosh, Raina. I'm so sorry for this. I don't know how this happened, but it feels like it's my entire fault. I'm so sorry I dragged you into all this."

Raina laughed weakly. "No, Ren. This is entirely my fault. If I hadn't blanked out, you wouldn't have been so easily captured like this."

Ren chuckled at this sudden display of humility. "Yeah, that's for sure. Who knew the great Raina would falter in front of a thug?" Ren cackled a bit more for good measure.

Raina didn't respond the way he expected her to, though. She tightened her grip on his hand and muttered softly, "I'm glad that you're stuck here with me, though. I don't know what I'd do if I were alone. And I know you'll protect me. Like always."

There was an uncomfortable pause - uncomfortable for Ren. The silence lengthened. Ren was about to make a casual joke when Raina spoke again. "Thank you."

Ren didn't like seeing Raina looking weak like this. In his mind, Raina was someone who was strong and confident. And he loved her for it. She was someone who was always bright and cheerful, though sometimes a little sarcastic. He doted on her, like he would a sister. He knew that many people expected their relationship to evolve into something more than friendship. He wanted to tell all those people that it already had. Raina was more than his friend. She was family, and a huge part of his life.

"Don't ever say 'Thank you' again, Raina. I love you and you know that."

"I know you do. I love you too, Ren. We better sleep now. Apparently, they're taking us to the Lord of this land."

"Lord of this land? Makes sense, I suppose. It does seem like a medieval society." Ren laughed, but it hurt so he stopped abruptly.

"Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day. Goodnight, Ren. I do hope that when I get up, I'll wake up in my bedroom but I doubt it." Raina snuggled closer and after a few minutes, her body went limp.

Ren could see the stars through the cracks in the ceiling of the cage. He wondered if some strange destiny awaited them._ Well, at least, we'll be together._

* * *

><p>The jolting of the cart was what woke up the both of them the next day. Ren sat upright, instantly preparing for an attack of some sort when he realized that what had woken him was the movement of the cart. He looked over at Raina.<p>

In the dim light, he could see Raina wiping the sleep out of her eyes as she gingerly pushed herself up. She was wearing the same green dress with black lace. She looked fine though a bit pale.

Ren touched his own face. He seemed okay. The swelling on his lip seemed to have shrunk as well. _The first good news of the day. It hurt as hell yesterday. _He was still wearing cream and gold dress. He still thought that it was the most beautiful dress he had ever seen, although it had rents in some places now.

"Morning, Ren," Raina mumbled. "What's happening?"

"We're moving again." Ren sighed.

"What do you think is going to happen? They don't seem like cannibals, so they're not going to eat us," Raina mumbled incoherently, still sleepy.

_The AB blood-type sure is true to their nature,_ Ren thought recalling the Japanese stereotype where people of AB blood type are usually bad at waking up. "I doubt they were ever going to eat us. I thought rape of trafficking may be more of the issue here," Ren said with a smile.

"What do we do? Do we escape now or later? I don't think the both of us will be able to get past these guys. Our chances will be better once we've changed hands, I think. If we play docile, we may just be able to," Raina planned as she sorted her thoughts.

"Seems like a good strategy. Guess it's a better idea for me to hide my gender then. So we'll act all subservient and when the chance comes, we'll escape together from the 'Lord' of the land. What a cheesy title!" Ren snickered and Raina joined him.

"So, partners in crime?" Raina smiled, hand outstretched.

"Partners," Ren confirmed, shaking her hand.

* * *

><p>They arrived at a castle a little after noon. Raina smirked at the idea of meeting this 'Lord of the land' and snickered inwardly. Gosh, she knew she acted like a kid at time but it was really funny. <em>I bet he's old and wrinkly and too fat with a fur coat and too much jewelry. Damn, I forgot the bald patch. Yeah, he'd have a bald patch too.<em> She snickered again.

Ren was thinking the exact same thing as Raina. _God, I can't wait to see this 'Lord' guy. Must be real full of himself. Some balding guy with a middle age crisis. Bet he wears fancy clothes and decks himself in gold ornaments. Yep, total Paris Hilton like - except that he's from the medieval age. Bet he has a young sexy wife and few dogs too. Yeah, that's it!_

When an image of his version of the 'Lord of the Land' popped into his head, he had to stifle the laughter from bursting out. He grabbed his stomach and tried to mask the few gurgles of laughter as if he had coughed instead. Raina flashed him a warning look. She had a small smile at the corner of her lips though.

Their captors pushed them along and the guards made way for them to come through. It surprised both Raina and Ren that commoners could just walk through a Lord's castle in the medieval era. _They sure don't write about that in history books._ _The castle seemed busy, or was it just the usual flurry of maids and servants scurrying about their daily activities?_

They had climbed a few stairs, entered hall after hall before finally arriving at the 'Lord's' study. The guard went in first to announce their arrival and getting the Lord's permission before admitting all of them into the study.

The first thing Ren noticed was the two dogs that scurried about his feet. _Cute!_ They were small and white and furry, and the cutest things he'd ever seen. But then he spotted their wings. The dogs had wings. They had bat wings. _Right, dogs have bat wings. _Ren walked further into the room.

The so-called 'Lord' was busy with paperwork. He was a small man, and he wore a bright purple cloak over a blood-red trench coat and blood-red bellbottoms. A huge gold medallion glinted on his chest. And yes, he had a huge, shiny bald patch on the crown of his head.

When the 'Lord' looked up, Ren couldn't take it anymore. He could feel the muscles on his face contort beyond his control and he would have laughed if Raina had not burst out laughing first.

There, on the perch of the 'Lord's' nose, was a gold rimmed glasses with long feathers at both ends. _What did he do? Wrestle with a chicken for those feathers?_

Everyone was now looking at Raina as if she was mad._ Oi, Raina! Stop laughing!_

If this new world had anything useful to offer, he prayed that it was telepathy. Ren waited a few minutes. Raina calmed down but she was still choking away on laughter.

It was up to him now to save the day. He tried to arrange his facial features in a way that he hoped looked like a sweet smile and spoke to the 'Lord' in his feminine voice, "My Lord, please excuse my friend. She has had a long journey and she is merely overcome with joy at finally being able to meet you. We have heard so much about you."

The Lord looked somewhat appeased and satisfied at Ren's explanation. Raina merely looked at him incredulously and laughed harder. Ren took this opportunity to flatter the man in front of him. "Look at her My Lord. She is shamelessly excited to meet the Lord who is going save us from our captors here. They abducted us, Sire from our home. I beg that you save us My Lord."

At this point, the middle-aged man looked at the three at the back with confusion. "I thought I asked you to bring me some women to entertain my important guest."

The three men at the back looked at each other now, disturbed by the turn of events. '"Well Sire, we thought any woman would be happy to entertain the Prince. I men, he is a looker and wealthy too." One of them snickered lecherously.

_Okay, this Prince guy sounds like a pervert,_ Ren thought and shuddered. _Honestly, being a woman is difficult in the medieval era_.

"Yes, but I never told you to abduct them," the Lord reprimanded sternly. "But I guess we can work around this?"

He walked over to Ren and held out a hand. Ren cringed inwardly but accepted the Lord's hand. he could see Raina laughing silently from where she stood, her eyes wide and shiny.

"You see my dear - What was your name?" The Lord asked. _I never told you my name, you smooth -talking geezer._ Ren smiled sweetly.

"It's Ren, my lord. Ren Anon," he said coquettishly, coming up with an alias almost instantly.

"Yes, Ren. You see, the ex-Maou, Prince Gwendal and his brother, Prince Wolfram will be my guests for tonight and I need someone suitable to accompany the Prince."

"Prince?" Ren repeated. _Which Prince was the pervy one?_

"Yes, Prince Wolfram. Since Prince Gwendal is happily married, I do not think he will need your... charming personality."

Ren's eyes widened. _What the fuck? Are you asking me to prostitute myself? I can't believe this!_

"You see, your friend there is easily starstruck. And the Prince is rumoured to be... impatient with his fans, shall we say?" the Lord said, picking up a strand of the red wig and caressed it.

Before Ren could react, the door to the study was flung open and a young man with red hair strode in with a huff.

"Father, what is the meaning of this? Who are these women?" he enquired angrily although to Ren it sounded like a rhetorical question.

"Obviously, they are gifts to entertain Prince Wolfram during his stay here."

"Father," the young mad gritted out, "I will entertain the Prince while he's here."

"Hmmph! We all know what happened when you 'entertained' the prince the last time."

"Father! I will not fail - not again. I will marry Wolfram. And I will become his consort when he becomes Maou."

_Okay, this is getting weirder and weirder. So this Wolfram guy was once in a relationship with this flashy guy? Maou? Are they for real? Pfft! There's no such thing as a Maou. It's just something we invented to scare... Wait a minute! I understand what they're saying! And I spoke to them in their language!_

"No way." Ren spoke aloud.

Angry faces were turned to him. _Oh shit!_

The young man's face was particularly ferocious. "What? You think some pretty face like yourself can steal away the affection of my future husband? Don't get over your head, servant. Bitches like you are only meant to lick our boots and give us their holes."

_Seriously, what is WRONG with these people? What the heck! Where do you think you come off calling me some gold-digging sl- I mean, person?_ "Forgive me, Sire. I spoke out of turn."_ I bet one punch would set your manners straight!_

Ren was infuriated. The manners of these people were atrocious. Where is the respect? Where is the love? Ren believed in an equal society of mutual care and concern. Raina believed in it too, which is why they are such good friends.

Raina suddenly interrupted. "Begging your pardon, young Master, but my friend there is a little slow in the head. If you do not mind, Sire, we would like to offer our services in the kitchen."

The young redhead brightened at this. "There! That's right. They can serve us dinner tonight. That way, their pretty faces won't go to waste." His father seemed to have given up the fight as well.

"Fine. These young ladies will act as our maids tonight. Be sure to train and dress them appropriately." The flashy lord then turned and addressed their captors. "Now about the payment..." Before he could finish, Ren and Raina were being led out of the room.

"You will now meet the head maid and caretaker of Castle Dante. She will train the both of you. You there," the young man asked rudely, gesturing as Raina, "is your hair black?"

Raina was surprised into answering his question, "Yes, by birth."

The redhead shrugged and mumbled, "Never seen black hair before."


	9. A Fated Meeting

{Note}

Hello everyone! I named this chapter fated meeting after the Japanese concept of the same name - a meeting that is fated to change your life forever. As promised, here is chapter 9. I've been keeping to my one chapter a day. It's been 4 days so far and this is my fifth chapter! I've been having so much fun with this story and I've deviated a little from the initial plan but I think the recent chapter have better flow and are easier to read (albeit a little long). _**Does the length bother you guys**_? _**Do you think the flow is too slow or the chapters are too boring?**_

In regards to the minor spelling and grammatical errors, I'm getting there. Once I've reached my 15th chapter, I'll take a break and correct them all in due time. I hope you guys are still confused about the plot because I don't want everyone to guess it right from too-obvious hints.

I wanted you guys to get an understanding of Ren-Raina's relationship. They are not in love with each other. They just grew together and are very comfortable with each other. I know this is the perfect condition for young love to blossom but not for these guys - they know each other too well to summon some sort of romantic affection towards each other.

PS: I already have the basic outline of plot for the sequel! And once I've reached my 25th chapter, I'm starting on a new fic (also Shounen Ai/ Yaoi) on Beelzebub. I know what you're thinking - it does not involve Creepy-ichi.

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The Reclamation of a Bratty Prince (Let's just call it TRBP for short)

CHAPTER NINE

A Fated Meeting

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Wolfram was the first to arrive at the castle. He looked up at the tall turrets as he tried to catch his breath. The sweat beading on his back rolled down to the dent of his lower back, tickling him a little. Castle Dante.

He had never been to Praetoria, the land under the governance of Lord Dante, who was as infamous as his own Uncle, Stoffel. He had heard many stories about the man, and none of them showed the man in favourable light.

He was here today with his brother, the ex-Maou to discuss border patrol routes. Praetoria may be a small piece of land and particularly resource rich either, but the other side of the land ended with the sea. That was the problem. Pirates.

The number of humans coming into Shin Makoku had more than doubled in the last year. Wolfram believed that most of these people were spies, thieves and even criminals who were escaping legal pursuit. The problem was a constant source of worry for the blond prince. When Gwendal told him that it was finally time to address the issue (with the upcoming arrival of the new King and Ulrike's foretelling), Wolfram decided to revamp border patrol routes, watch shifts and line of command.

Got off his horse and wiped the back of his neck. It was a hot afternoon and he had ridden the horse his whole journey. When the horse neighed suddenly, a stable boy came up to Wolfram to lead the horse to the stables.

_What is it about Castle Dante that is so... compelling? Before today, I never thought of coming here, never thought about coming here. So today, why am I so anxious? As if something is drawing me here?_ Wolfram shook his head a little. But his heart was pounding loudly. He could hear it in his ears. _I must have ridden here to fast._

Wolfram looked up at the castle once more, as if expecting to see someone.

He spotted some shadows and moving silhouettes but no faces. No one looking out at the window or waving at him. Not even over-excited maids pointing at him and blushing. He continued to look and waited, waited for something he felt was destined for him. He waited.

When Wolfram finally turned around, it was when he heard the arrival of his brother's carriage. That was not the only thing he heard. He could hear something breaking behind him. He was sure it was his hope.

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><p>"Master Martin, His Highness Prince Wolfram has arrived."<p>

_So his name was Martin. A pretentious name for a pretentious person._ Raina conveniently ignored the fact that she knew many decent Martins in her life outside this crazy place. This morning had been hell in the kitchen. First, when she had gone to collect the ingredients for the head chef, she found herself facing flying skeletons. Or should she say living skeletons with wings?

She had run in fright all over the castle saying that a monster had appeared. When she showed the guards the creature in question, they had all turned around and laughed at her, telling her that the 'Kohi' were the friendliest creatures in the world. Raina briefly feared for her sanity. Perhaps Ren was right, and this was some nerve-overload-virtual-reality dream. But she let the idea go the next second when she heard what was to happen next. As punishment for causing an uproar among the ground staff, she had to polish the silverware all alone, under the watchful supervision of Mary Vlaire, the Head Maidservant.

Miss Vlaire, as she preferred to be addressed, was a stern woman with an impressive build. She towered a good head above Ren, which put a scowl on his face. Ren was after all, proud of his height. To be fair, he had been the tallest his class and among the tallest in his year. Vlaire was rather pretty too if she smiled more, and she had lilac hair which Raina thought was awesome. _Bet Katy Perry would die to have hair in that shade!_ Raine thought it was a sexy colour but when she met the other maids, she realised lilac hair was rather common in this side of the world.

"Ugh, the unfairness of it all Ren! I mean, my drabby black hair that I'm so sick of, is considered exotic and that teasing but mature sexy lilac shade is supposedly the most basic standard here." Ren looked at her incredulously and said in a monotone, "So? Shouldn't you be happy?"

Raina almost burst into tears. "No, it's unfair!" She knew she was just whining and complaining. She felt miserable, having to sit through the most boring task in history without talking. In addition to that, she was also told to assist in the laundry room where she spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon ironing pillowcases and bed sheets_._

Later on, she found out that Ren had been assigned to the kitchen - preparing the chicken, cutting, chopping, dicing and washing up once they were all done. Ren was good in the kitchen. He was often complimented and told that he had a 'woman's touch in the kitchen' to which he would reply "Well, talent belongs to everyone. Talent in kitchen is not reserved for one sex". _Well, good for him. At least he is good at what he does. Lvaire had me polishing the same spoon five times! Owww, my body hurts all over!_ Muscles she never knew existed were screaming away in pain.

Raina knew that she was just pouting and whining. She didn't mean any of it. She was just exorcising her lesser emotions. And Ren was familiar with this habit of hers, so she didn't feel too bad about it. She felt much better after filling her stomach at lunch anyways. And in awhile, she would just let the whole thing go and be her usual cheery self.

"You there, with the black hair, comb my hair with this perfume gently," the young redhead ordered her from across the room. Since Ren and herself had nothing to do after lunch, they had been sent to the young master for further instruction.

"Tell me, what are your names?" he demanded arrogantly but Raina tried her best to keep a straight face and not tangle his hair. Raina sprayed the perfume onto his hair and combed it gently.

"My name is Raina, Sire."

"Rena? Just that? No family name?"

"It's Raina, not Rena, Sire. And my family name is Deshmukh." _This perfume smells really good. I wonder what scent this is. It similar to rose but... also jasmine?_

After a short pause, the young man gestured towards Ren at the back of the room, "And you, the redhead? Your name?"

Raina thought she had seen a glimpse of a frown but the next second, Ren's was as sweet as sugar. "My name, Sire, is Ren Anon. Please call me Ren." Raina rolled her eyes. _What is it with the fake surname? And why 'Anon'? It sounded very much Shakespeare-y. Like, "Come hither anon."_ Raina let out a small inaudible laugh.

"Yeah, you. Come fasten my boots. I must go meet my future husband."

Raina tried her best to hide a smile as she watched Ren fumble on his new uniform as he walked and crouched uncomfortably in front of the redhead noble and struggled to put on the boots before fastening the buckles.

They had been surprised this morning, when they had woken up in the servant's quarters with rest of the staff to find Some stretchy, lacy black dress handed to them. "Your uniform," Vlaire said with an even face. Ren swore her mouth had twitched a bit back there, but she was not so sure if the woman had a sense of humour. _After all, she did make me polish that damned spoon five times._

When she wore the dress, she realised it didn't look so bad. Most of the dress was made of black lace and the material clung to every curve of her body, making her already shapely body seem curvacious and bootylicious. The soft black satin felt good against her bare legs and she relished the comfort of the luxurious material.

The dress, however, looked bad (to say the least) on Ren who insisted on remaining in his female appearance. "It will make it harder for them to find me when we've escaped this place," he said adamantly. "Besides, they may separate us if I revealed the fact that I'm a man and that will make it difficult for me to protect you."

In order to solve Ren's wardrobe dilemma, Raina asked for some spare material and quickly made padding with cotton and tissue paper to fill in Ren's chest, in addition to the shirt from before. Raina borrowed bandages which she wrapped tightly around Ren's torso to give it some sort of hourglass shape. The end result was much better although he could not hide the broad shoulders and the slight hint of a bicep. Ren found it difficult to move about his daily chores with the clingy material catching in places he wished it wouldn't and the tight bandage restricting movement around his chest and stomach.

_Thank God for the wig! _Raine thought as they exited the room to greet their guests. The long red strands hid a bit of his shoulders and it complimented the dress. _At least he's pretty. No one is going to be looking at the dress._

She could almost see Ren groan as he walked beside her. _Ah, he doesn't want to meet the pervy prince! But I wonder if he's just as flashy as this guy? I bet he's in his thirties, with a bit of a belly and a receding hairline._ She smiled inwardly. _I wonder if I'll win this bet?_


	10. The Prince

{Note}

Hello everyone! I was very busy yesterday and a great aunt of mine was suddenly admitted to the ICU, so I didn't have much time to write the next chapter. But no worries, I'm writing it now.

A huge thank you to my readers and reviewers! I hope you all enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed writing this. (And I'm still so glad that you guys are still unsure about the whole "Is Yuuri Ren or Raina?" debate. Because otherwise, I'd be doing a bad job and the story wouldn't be as interesting ;)

Personally, I think of Yuuri as a strong person who refuses to compromise on his values and beliefs. He's a good guy and sometimes a bit of a pushover, but when it matters, he is someone who will stand his ground and fight for what he believes in. That's why I wanted to paint the new characters as personalities that are independent and strong yet kind and compassionate (Raina doesn't seem so at this point, but trust me, she is.)

Oh yeah, there's definitely gonna be MPreg (spoiler!). Not telling who the parents are though! Sorry guys, I know some people are grossed out at the idea of it, but I love it. I wish same-sex couples could have kids in real life. It's just not fair.

So keep READING and REVIEWING. I'll keep writing. Longer chapters are better, right? I think so too. But that will mean that I will update less frequently.

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**The Reclamation of a Bratty Prince**

**CHAPTER TEN**

**The Pervy Prince**

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She could almost see Ren groan as he walked beside her. _Ah, he doesn't want to meet the pervy prince! But I wonder if he's just as flashy as this guy? I bet he's in his thirties, with a bit of a belly and a receding hairline._ She smiled inwardly. _I wonder if I'll win this bet._

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"Ah, Your Highnesses! Prince Gwendal and Prince Wolfram, welcome. Welcome my Lords, to my humble castle," the Lord Julius Dante announced with practiced ostentation as the wide mahogany doors opened to admit the two royal guests.

Martin Dante, the young lord stood beside his father, looking ridiculous with blue and green feathers in long hair. The young man had obviously dressed to impress but in Raina's eyes, he looked like an overstuffed peacock – not that she had any idea what an overstuffed peacock would look like. He wore a dark blue coat over a grey shirt with ruffles and white lace with a maroon ribbon running through it. He wore bright blue pants with a single gold stripe running vertically at the front. Raina didn't know if he wanted to impress the 'pervy prince' or scare him away but right now she wanted to meet the prince in question. She sensed rather than saw Ren tense up, the air surrounding him suddenly becoming hard and solid. Raina almost laughed.

_Ren is such a sweetheart. He looks after me and puts up with all my idiosyncrasies and yet tries so hard to protect me even though I can protect myself. I mean, what does he think is going to happen to me? No one is going to run off with me or anything. But he's just too cute that way. Going so far as to dress up as a girl for me? Damn, but I wish I had a camera. _

Ren wore a scowl on his face. He hated the damn dress. It was itchy and stretchy and it brought attention to curves he didn't even know he had. Just this afternoon, he found some guard eyeing his behind while he served the baked potatoes at the staff hall. The soldier had ogled his butt openly and Ren had been so embarrassed at it all. He hadn't even realized he had been blushing till another soldier who noticed the whole thing asked him if he was shy. "Pretty girl like you must be used to all the attention by now. If he's making you uncomfortable, I could ask him to make it less obvious. But it will cost you a kiss you know. On the cheek," the soldier had said teasingly. Ren laughed at the soldier. The ogles did disturb him – he was not used to being openly stared at as a sexual object and the whole situation embarrassed him. He was a little angry but he was not one who easily succumbed to anger. "No thank you, kind sir. But if you will, I would like to know your name," Ren flirted. _Wow, I'm good at this. This guy seems nice, though._

"It comes with a price, beautiful. I will tell you mine if you tell me yours," the soldier said, blinking his grey eyes.

"Well, it wouldn't do to have a friend who doesn't know my name. I am Ren Anon," Ren said with a straight face although his felt a mischievous smile tugging at this mouth. _Who knew dressing as a woman could be so much fun?_ "And yours?"

The young man had smiled magnanimously and despite a missing tooth, it was a charming smile. He removed his cap showing cropped blue hair (Ren was surprised to find his jaw hadn't fallen to the floor yet) and bowed. "Willeford Macchis, my lady. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Well, that had been the only upside of the day. The pretentious peacock called Martin had ruined the rest of the morning for him. Ren was sure the redhead hated him. He had forced Ren to go back and forth between the kitchen and his private dining hall where he ate with his father along with the complaint that the chicken did not suit his taste. The third time he had been sent back to the kitchen, the chef almost hit him with the ladle in her hand. He himself had been panting, the tight bandage constricting his breathing. _Being a girl is not so much fun now._

The redhead definitely had something against him. He could not - for the life of him - understand why he hated him. But right now, Ren's attention was fixated on the 'pervy prince'. _Who on earth, well, since we're not on earth… who the hell was this guy who had the bratty Martin so in love with him? He surely sounded like a creep. If he goes after Raina… I don't care if he's a prince or whatever, I'm gonna kill him. No one messes with my girl. Well, I'm sure the bratty Martin will try his best to occupy the pervy prince's attention so maybe I'm worrying over nothing._

Raina felt the tense air around Ren subside somewhat. _Well, _she thought, _it's time we see if the Prince had a potbelly and a receding hairline. And for the fun of it, maybe he'll have sunny yellow hair since everyone here has hair with bright colours._

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><p>Two tall figures entered the hall gracefully and walked directly towards the Dantes who stood in the middle of the room.<p>

The first one, and also the taller one, was a man who wore a long dark green coat over a white shirt. His coat had dark blue edging and a single gold medallion hung around his neck. He had dark grey hair that reached his wait and he wore in in a ponytail. When Raina could see his face better, she realized that despite the stern and no-nonsense look, he had a kind face or at least she felt that he was kind. Raina had a knack for things like that. She wondered if that had anything to do with her being a Piscean. _Perhaps not._ The man before her had beautiful, deep set eyes that were both intelligent and kind. He looked a little haggard though, with the creases on his forehead and beneath his eyes. Even now, his eyes seemed dull and tired._ Probably because of the long journey though. If I remember correctly, Vlaire said that the royal palace is three days away. They made it in two and a half. Wow. That must have been dangerous for people living in this century._

Raina's heart almost stopped when she looked at the next person. He had hair the colour of liquid gold, as if a drop of sunshine had fallen onto his head and sprung silky gold threads where his hair was. His eyes were pools of the deepest and most glorious shade of green she had ever seen. He had a beautiful face that was not too angular nor was it too soft. He had beautiful lips that looked full, soft and warm. The man was easily the most gorgeous person she had ever seen. He was the man in her dreams.

_There is no question about it_. Raina continued to stare. She had forgotten about her bet with herself. None of that mattered now. This was her destiny. Somehow, she was here with this man who had appeared in her dreams. Raina was both thrilled and scared. _No, that can't be right. This is just too good to be true. It's like some fairytale or something. He was definitely not the one in my dreams. I can't be sure. I hardly remember what he looked like. Although they do look similar._

Raina continued to stare at him until she was suddenly hit with the realization that everyone in the room was staring at her.

Ren did not understand what had just transpired in the room. The tall dude had accepted Lord Dante's hand and welcome. He must be the elder prince. The guy seemed decent and hardworking so he must be Prince Gwendal the maids were talking about – the longest reigning Maou of the country. Ren almost laughed. He could not believe that a real live Maou stood before him. He remembered his grandmother telling horror stories of the Maou when he was a child. Although for some reason, she always insisted that the Maou had wings and he could fly.

"Thank you for accepting us on such short notice, Lord Dante. I'm afraid my brother and I will have to impose on you for the next few days."

Lord Dante beamed happily, "My Lord, it greatly pleases me to be of service to your highnesses. Pray, how is Lady Celi?"

_Here comes the small talk_. Ren shifted his sight to the slightly shorter guy beside the Prince and almost gasped. _The man was fucking… beautiful? Handsome? Who cares about that! Why am I correcting myself. He's the pervy prince isn't he?_ Ren looked to the Martin brat for confirmation. _Yep, he's the one. I can see starts in his eyes. God, I never want to see that again. I thought that expression was only reserved for cartoon characters._ The blond prince was addressing the lord now and when he had turned to greet the Dante brat who was all starry-eyed now, he thought the prince had looked directly at him. _Must have been a trick of the light or something._

"Prince Wolfram, nothing pleasures me more than to see you here. I must say Wolfram," Martin said, dropping the formality, "that I have missed your company tremendously." He held out a hand, which the blond guy accepted. The prince smiled and hugged the younger man.

"I am so sorry and ashamed for how I behaved. Looking back, I had been naive and childish. I hope we can go back to how we used to be," Martin whispered in the pervy prince's ear. The prince blushed. _What the hell-? No way. You guys used to be boyfriends? And somehow, now that I've met the pervy prince, I just can't call him that. Maybe I'll call him Pretty Boy. Yep, that's settled. So, Pretty Boy and the bratty Martin. I want to say that they are perfect for each other, but I can't. Not with him blushing and all. He looks… cute._

Ren blushed a little at the thought. He looked sideways at Raina. She was staring at the blond prince. For a moment he thought she looked frightened but he could not understand why. He was about to shake her a little when suddenly the blond prince was in front of him and looking at Raina. Ren could not believe his eyes. The blond prince was looking at Raina with utter shock and incredulity. "Brother!" he shouted. And the next thing Ren knew, the older prince was there too, staring at a stupefied Raina.

Ren looked from face to face. Martin and Lord Julius seemed just as clueless as he was. He looked at the blond prince for some kind of answer and the prince suddenly looked at him. "Err, is something wrong with Raina?"

"A double black." A deep voice came from the left. It was the Prince Gwendal. Everyone turned to look at the taller man. "Someone born with black hair and black eyes. Someone born with incredible maryoku." He was still staring at Reina who was slowly coming to. She started when she realized that everyone was staring at her. Pretty Boy suddenly reached out a hand to touch a lock of hair… and he caressed it. _Ugh, you sicko. You're hitting on Raina already?_ He turned to Raina, concerned and thinking she might be sick, but Raina was watching him intently, a smile and a blush creeping on face. Pretty Boy had a strange and pained expression on his face. _ Raina, you don't want to make the martin brat angry. Trust me. Stop smiling right now. _Ren glanced at Martin who was angry but also curious. "Um?" Raina mumbled, breaking the strange air that had surrounded them.

"Young lady, may I have your name?" Prince Gwendal asked matter-of-factly.

Raina wondered if she done something to displease anyone. "Raina Deshmukh, Sir."

"You are a double black. Why did you hide yourself here?" he continued.

"A double black, Sir? I have been called that before but I do not know why," Raina answered, a little unsettled.

Pretty Boy put a hand on her shoulder and explained, "A double black is someone with great power, born with black hair and black eyes. A long time ago, there was one such person. The most powerful Maou in history… was also a… double black."

Raina was surprised to hear that. _So black hair is considered exotic here!_ "I beg your pardon Sir, but I have no such power. I am a simple young lady and in the place where I come from, everyone has black hair and eyes." She was not sure if she should have added the last bit but she was uncomfortable with the attention.

Unfortunately, Gwendal and Wolfram found her statement very intriguing. "Everyone has black hair, you say? Where is this village? I suppose, perhaps, they also have a flying device? Something not fuelled with Houseki stones but pertol?" the blond prince asked.

"Lord Wolfram, what do y-" Lord Dante began but he was silenced with a gesture by the older prince.

_So his name is Wolfram. It's a beautiful name._ "Pertol? You mean petrol?" _Did they have similar technology on this era? She was not too sure. _"Are you talking about an aeroplane?"

Both princes paled and looked at each other, as if exchanging some message between them. "Are you from earth?" Gwendal asked with a steady voice.

Raina sighed in relief. "Yes, yes, I am. Thank god! I was so worried." Raina turned and hugged Ren. "Oh Ren, we can go home now." She could feel the hot tears falling but she didn't care. When she felt the pressure of Ren's hand on her back, she felt assured and relieved.

"Ren? You're from earth too?" Wolfram asked sharply.

Ren smiled meekly and shrugged. He had not wanted to divulge that fact immediately but it was too late. "Yes, Your Highness."

Gwendal von Voltaire decided that it was time to take this into his own hands. He turned to the lord of the castle and his son, and asked if they could adjourn to a study where they could question these two people in private. He stressed the word 'private'. Gwendal felt bad about keeping the lord in the dark but this was a matter of national security. Lord Julius looked unhappy but there was nothing he could do about it.

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><p>"Let me get this straight. You are both from earth," Wolfram questioned once again while rubbing his temples.<p>

"Yes." Both Raina and Ren spoke in unison.

"You guys were neighbours? In Japan," Wolfram continued while Gwendal merely watched.

"And you don't know how you can to this world because a kid knocked you into a pond?"

"That's correct."

"And you're friend here, Ren. She's not a double black?"

"Yeah, she had red hair."

"But she has black eyes."

"Yeah, she's weird."

Raina almost laughed. Earlier, Ren had whispered to her in Japanese, "Whatever you do, don't tell them about me being a guy, okay. They seem nice and all now, but you know how it is – it is always the good guy who ends up being the bad guy." _Was Ren ever going to get out of his detective phase? The guy acted like he was a crime detective or something, ever since CSI started airing. Well, I'll indulge him this time._

"Let me see, you both don't know why but you can speak our language?"

"Yeah. I could understand it almost immediately but Ren took some time, I guess."

"And Ren is your…?"

"BFF."

"He, I mean, **she**," Raina began and corrected herself, stressing on the female pronoun, "is my best friend in the world."

Wolfram looked towards Gwendal, a silent question in his look.

Gwendal stirred and walked to them where they sat. Ren had been quiet the whole time. His hands were clasped together tightly in his lap. He felt cold and exposed thanks to the stupid dress. And he hated being scrutinized. He could feel those green eyes going all over him, measuring him no doubt. The prince obviously felt suspicious about him. _Well, he definitely has reasons to doubt me. I am after all, a man in drag_.

Gwendal stood silent awhile and then spoke aloud. "I will have to take you with me when I return to Blood Pledge castle. There are things we need to speak about which we can't do here," he looked at Raina as he said this.

"But, what about Ren? I can't go leave without him," Raina said, not realizing that she had referred to Ren as a male. Ren too, seemed to have missed this detail, his attention focused on what Gwendal was saying.

But it was not lost of Gwendal and Wolfram. "It's the second time you've referred to her as male," Gwendal stated.

Raina quickly corrected herself. "Yeah, I know. I keep mixing my 'He's and 'Her's up."

Getting back to the point, Gwendal explained, "It is a long way back to the castle and there won't be enough space for seven people. We don't have enough guards with us and it will be difficult to travel with two women. We are bound to attract unwanted attention and there's no guarantee that we will arrive safely. It is better to leave your friend here and come collect her later."

"But… Ren is good at sword fighting and she can sew and cook too. Can't she come too? I promise to do my share of the work."

Wolfram stood up and spoke in his ear. After a minute, the brothers turned to the two women.

"Ren," Wolfram addressed directly for the first time.

For some reason, the sound of his name rolling off the blond prince's tongue felt like a jolt of electric shock. _Whoa, am I attracted to the dude? No way. No frickking way! Blond guys are Raina's thing – not mine. I was just shocked, right? I mean, he ignored me the whole time._

"Yes," Ren looked up from where he sat. He looked directly into Pretty Boy's eyes, waiting for the blond prince to continue. He felt an uncomfortable tingling at the pit of his stomach. _I hope that is my lunch and not 'butterflies'. Damn!_

Ren felt as if the prince kept their gazes locked for a moment longer than necessary. _Or it could be my wishful thinking! Damn! I can't believe I have a crush on this guy! I never knew I was so shallow – to crush on someone just because that person is gorgeous beyond reason?_

"Is what Raina said true? You can defend Raina and yourself? You can cook as well?"

Ren smiled genuinely for the first time that day. "Yeah. That I can definitely do."

"Then, it's settled. You will come with us to Blood Pledge castle."


	11. Crush

{Notes}

Argh! I am so sorry for the slow update. Tomorrow's update will be longer - promise!

About the previous chapter: I did not know title an ex-Maou should have, so I simply gave him the title of 'Prince'. Well, let's just pretend that's just the way it works. ;p

Once again, thank you so much for reviewing. You guys still torn between **Ren** and **Raina**? Well, it should all be cleared up in the next few chapters. The last chapter took me pretty long to write - about four hours. It's still my longest chapter yet and I can't wait to see how long it will take for me to surpass that.

Your thoughts are much appreciated and thank you so much for making putting this story among your favourites. I can't tell you how much it means to me, but if you've written something, I'm sure you know.

The other thing I wanted to talk about was in regards to **Wolfram**. Bear in mind that sixty years has passed between Chapter 2 and Chapter 10. Wolfram has changed and become more serious since Yuuri died. He's also become something of a Don Juan. The Wolfram in the story is the Wolfram that has gone through loss, pain and tragedy. I hope that explains the OOCness. Also, earlier I said that Wolfram is as tall as Gwendal. Well, yes. But Gwendal has a more imposing presence and despite how Wolfram's looks have matured, he is (for the purpose of this story) the pinnacle of masculine beauty aka Pretty Boy. Hope that clears things up.

Once again, **READ** and **REVIEW**. If you have questions, recommendations or insights - I would welcome that very much. Unfortunately, I don't want to have any spoilers. Therefore, the whole who-will-be-Yuuri's-reincarnation type questions will not be entertained. You are welcome to speculate but do not expect any replies (I just don't want to spoil it for you guys. I mean it's just not fair. Poor Wolfram is gonna be so confused and it's not fair if you guys know and he doesn't.)

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**The Reclamation of a Bratty Prince**

**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

_**CRUSH**_

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Wolfram paced around the room casually, taking of his coat and draping it on the bed. Next, he removed his emerald brooch and scarf and threw it on the bed. He slowly unlaced his boots, struggled a little to remove his foot and kicked it to the side. A sudden noise drew his attention and he sat upright immediately, eyes alert. Upon realizing that the noise had come from outside, Wolfram approached the wide round window. Hearing the noise again, louder this time, Wolfram's curiosity was piqued and he searched for the source of the noise which he now knew to be laughter.

Wolfram caught sight of black hair and he shuddered. It had been a long time since had seen hair of that colour. Since his last time on earth. Yuuri's funeral. Seeing it now brought back the memories he had locked away in his heart and along the joy and bittersweetness, was the pain of loss and longing. Wolfram continued to stare out the window at the three figures outside, two of them female with their backs to Wolfram. The other was a hired guard whose name Wolfram did not know.

It was evening now and in an hour or so, dusk would be upon them. The day had passed swiftly after the 'interrogation' session in Lord Dante's study. Gwendal had taken it upon himself to explain why Raina was now an important guest of the royal household and arranged for her to sleep in better quarters. Upon her request, Gwendal had also asked the Lord Dante if he would discharge the redhead Ren from his employment as she was the companion to a most treasured guest. Among them, they had arranged to have her serve as maid to Wolfram.

A sudden gust of wind blew the red strands hanging down the back to side, where it tangled with the silky luxurious black hair of the beautiful Raina. As Wolfram watched Ren untangle her hair, a soft smile curving her lips in a manner that was almost loving. Unaware, Wolfram's hands gripped the window frame harder as his lips thinned a little. Raina was smiling back at the redhead, her hand soothing the red strands into place. Her smile was radiant and it shone with the confidence and knowledge that she was loved and accepted by the people around her - Ren and some unknown household guard. The mere thought made his stomach squirm in the most unpleasant manner.

Black hair. Earlier Wolfram had not been able to resist touching and caressing the dark strands - so different from his shiny golden ones. He remembered how Yuuri's hair had glistened under the sunlight and in the moonlight; they looked like silk threads. He had spent long hours in the night memorizing its texture, feel and scent. He knew exactly how long Yuri's hair was, where it parted on his forehead and where it would flop on Yuuri's forehead. He remembered how the black strands would sometime fall and tickle his face when Yuuri had snuggled close on cold nights. Wolfram could still feel the soft touch of the hair as he had caressed it and tucked it behind Yuuri's cute ear. He remembered running his hands and grabbing hold of the black locks when they had kissed, pulling at it as he crushed Yuuri closer to deepen the kiss-

He had kissed many men and women since then. Three years after Yuuri's death, when Greta had married a low ranking noble without his consent, he had turned to the ever open arms of his childhood friend Elizabeth who had accepted him willingly. He had kissed her, he had bedded her, and he had whispered sweet nothings in her ears. But when years passed and Wolfram slowly began to realize that in doing that he had lost Elizabeth's friendship forever, he had left without a word. He remembered Elizabeth's passionate letters asking him to explain what she had done wrong but how he say that it was he who had wronged her - he who took advantage of her love to chase away the memories and unfulfilled desires, to fill up a little of the emptiness his wimp of a fiancé had left behind? That he had destroyed their relationship and the possibility of them ever finding true happiness with someone else? Elizabeth's passionate letters eventually ceased. The last letter he had from her was a brief and cold note informing him that she had suffered a miscarriage and that she intended to wed a noble from a different family.

The news that she had been pregnant with his child had taken him by surprise. He had been had never mentioned a child in any of her letters nor did she hint that she had been pregnant. Wolfram wanted to confront her but when he had realized that it was all his fault, he's rage had quieted down. To be fair, Wolfram never responded to any of her letters, never enquired about her - not even to ask if she was well. Wolfram could not bring himself to apologise because he felt that an apology would not suffice, nor could he bring himself to wish her well in her marriage as he didn't think she would appreciate his sentiment. So, Wolfram being Wolfram, cut all communication and never spoke to her again. Nor did Elizabeth ever try to contact him after that. Their fling had been disastrous for the both of them and neither was ready to face the extent of the hurt nor attempt reconciliation. However, Wolfram did know that she was now happily married and enjoyed a good life with a good man.

Wolfram never found such happiness. Sure, he had many lovers after that. Night after night, men or women - he didn't care. Although he later developed a preference for men; but it didn't matter either. He loved none of them. Some of them wanted the privilege of sleeping with the Chief of Guard and Defense; some liked the way he looked; others professed their undying love for him and clung shamelessly to his side. He didn't mind the last of the lot. They were enthusiastic in bed and they distracted him from the mundane routine of everyday life. But after some time had passed, they too would become impatient with him and demand more from him. They would demand he loved them and shower them with affection - something Wolfram could and would not do.

Raina was standing next to Ren, facing the unknown guard. She was laughing at something he had said, her long hair hanging loose behind her. Looking at the long shiny black tresses made Wolfram sad. He remembered the feel of them these afternoon - silky fine hairs that reflected the light. No, it was not the same as Yuuri's hair. Yuuri's hair felt thicker in his hand, and while they looked coarse, it was soft to touch. Wolfram could almost smell their fragrance. It was too bad that the Mazoku lived too long and remembered too well. He remembered why he hated humans now. They were fragile beings who could not help themselves because they aged faster and died earlier. Perhaps that was why there are so many of them. Wolfram pursed his lips unknowingly. _I have to find out who the unknown guard is._

When Wolfram had entered the hall today, he had not expected what had followed next. He expected to see Martin of course, so when had turned to greet the red-haired man after greeting his father, his line of sight had been drawn instead to the beautiful girl with long red hair, standing right behind his ex-lover. Their eyes had barely met - he had only glanced at her briefly. The moment had lasted less than a minute, but the image of the girl was imprinted in his mind. He could see the dark eyes, the cute pert nose, the thin face and smooth complexion. She was skinny for sure, her womanly charms not yet fully developed (_If the size of her chest is anything to go by_, he thought). Even so, the voice in his head had been blown away by the sight of the girl. He could not stop the thought that had forcefully invaded his mind. _Beautiful._ Wolfram was initially surprised at himself for even thinking a woman attractive - it had been a long time since any woman had arrested him attention simply by being in the same room.

When his ex-lover had asked if they could begin their relationship anew, Wolfram had been embarrassed - not because the request was of a sexual nature but rather because the woman he had taken an interest in at first glance, seemed to have heard the request as well. She obviously did not know that Wolfram was watching her by the corner of his eyes or she would not looked so incredulous upon hearing the request. For some reason he was unaware of, Wolfram had not want her to know that he had been sexually intimate with her master, who was - by a strange coincidence - in his arms and was hugging him.

Truly, she both thrilled and irritated him. He did not understand why he was acting in so uncharacteristic a manner. He was Wolfram von Bielefeld, nephew and heir to the Bielefeld name and fortunes. He was a proud battle-trained soldier of Shin Makoku and he was loyal to his country and its people. He was the son, fiancé and brother to three Maou's and was also head of defense strategies in the great nation of Shin Makoku. He was definitely not someone to be trifled with, not someone who was led around by the whims and fancy of some strange beauty with fiery red hair and beautiful dark eyes, eyes that looked as soft and dark as black velvet.

That was when he had noticed Raina. When midway talking to Martin, Wolfram noticed that Ren's attention was directed elsewhere and not at him, he casually followed her line of sight and saw a gorgeous black-haired woman with black eyes. Wolfram could feel the tired muscles around his eye sockets expanding as his eyes grew wider.

Raina. A woman whose name was as beautiful as she looked. She was easily one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen, his own mother amongst them. As Wolfram was a beauty himself, he hardly ever thought of someone else as beautiful. To think that he would meet two beautiful women today had been more than simply 'unexpected'. It had been a miracle, a twist of fate, a game of coincidence. The gorgeous brunette was something to behold. She had big wide eyes, like Yuuri had, hemmed by long and sultry eyelashes. She had well-defined cheekbones that jutted out a little and a long but cute nose. Her pale skin was translucent and seemed to reflect the light where it hit her. Her long and curly black locks invited a person to run their hands through her hair, and the thought of it sent a jolt through the blond. She had a mystical beauty about her thanks to her intelligent and compassionate eyes that he imagined often shined with mirth; and an air of fragility.

Looking at the beautiful picture before him, Wolfram was confused. He had never been attracted to two women at the same time. Raina was definitely the Maou they were looking for. The destined one. The only one Ulrike had seen in her oracle. She was beautiful, and she reminded him of Yuuri. Wolfram was now slowly gathering his thought to the present and quickly ran through the facts he had verified earlier today. In the questioning session, she had also demonstrated a sense of humour, wittiness and intelligence. That was a useful trait in a Maou. On the other hand (a wayward thought interrupted his thought process) he was also attracted, if not more so, to her redhead friend. He had no idea why but he simply found himself looking for her, observing her and wanting her.

During the questioning, Ren's lack of response both irritated and angered him. She kept her head down at all times, hands held together and hardly spoke. If she miraculously deigned to answer a question, she did it with her head bowed. Her attitude was rubbing on Wolfram's nerves. He already resented the girl for his undeniable attraction to her. He barely stopped himself from grabbing her head and bringing it directly to his so that he could look into her eyes again and lose himself in their depths. He wanted to look at her more - to look at her until he could not bear the sight of her. He was filled with a need to just stare at the girl. And it pissed Wolfram off big time.

_Heck, the girl is no great beauty in comparison to Raina. She had wide shoulders for a girl and muscular too by the look of it. Women are meant to be soft and cuddly with big breasts and ample thighs. Not skinny and lean. Sure, she is pretty but she seems weak and pathetic. Another wimpy human._ The last thought nearly made him choke. A _wimpy_ human. A dangerous idea. Wolfram put it out of his mind, preferring to think of something less painful.

If Raina is the Maou that they were looking for, then it makes no sense in dragging extra baggage along, especially if she is as crucial to the kingdom as Ulrike predicted. Wolfram knew that better than anyone. He had heard Ulrike's prophecy before she had passed and fallen into deep sleep. He shuddered at the thought of the prophecy and remembered exactly how Ulrike had said it as if it was only yesterday, when in truth it was almost a month since Gwendal had vacated the throne. Despite his better judgment, Wolfram had persuaded his brother to bring her along - for Raina's sake of course. But the truth was simple and it stared Wolfram in the face - even now.

The sun was beginning to settle comfortably in the horizon, the sky dark as the last vestiges of light were slowly receding. A kohi was now dragging Ren as it flew across the front yard. Raina was laughing and pointing at the tall redhead. Wolfram felt something come alive within him and just as suddenly, wither and quieted. He sighed.

Wolfram was tired of humans. He had finally found someone he was interested in. And he knew that it was time he started a family of his own for both the von Bielefeld legacy and his uncle, Waltorana. He didn't need to have his feelings played with a second time by some human who was no doubt going to return to earth during the next few days. He was still recovering from his relationship with the first one.

Even as the thought crossed him mind, Wolfram was staring; arms folded, cross-legged and leaning against the window frame, at the back of a certain redhead named Ren.


	12. Confusion

{Notes}

Hi guys! Once again, I apologise for the delay. Whoa! It's been busy the past week and it's really hectic at home. But not to worry, I will definitely post up the next two chapters by the end of the week. As a token of my apology, there's some** R rated** fan service at the end of this extraordinarily long chapter. **I'm splitting it into two parts so it will be easier to read for you guys. **

(T_T - I am so sorry I failed to post chapters 12 to 14 as promised last week (T_T)! Do have a read and enjoy yourselves!

To my**readers, followers**** and ****viewers**- thank you so much for loving this story as much as I do and for loyally coming back to comment and review my stories. And it has all lead up to this momentous occasion - TRBP has had more than 1,000 views. Woo hoo!

To all my **reviewers**- A HUGE HUG AND A SMACK ON THE CHEEK! You guys have been really sweet and insightful (and observant). Here's a huge "THANK YOU'' you guys! Yumi-chan Hamano, KingCobra582, Priqxie, CrimsonQueen24 and guest.

PS: I apologise that it has taken me so long to get back to you guys on the reviews.

And lastly, to **everyone who thinks Ren is the reincarnation of Yuuri**, this chapter is dedicated to you guys!

And yeah, don't forget to **READ AND REVIEW**, my loves ~

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><p>+ . + . + . + . + . + . + . + . + . + . + . + . + . + . +<p>

**The Reclamation of a Bratty Prince**

**CHAPTER TWELVE**

_**CONFUSION**_

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. +. **PART ONE **. + .

"Oh Ren, can believe how this happened?" Raina asked with an incredulous smile splitting her face as she gestured towards her surroundings. Ren could not help but think that she looked against the background setting.

The plush pillows were huddled together against the bedpost of this huge round double bed as if no thought had been given to their arrangement but even so, Ren could not help but feel as if the whole setting oozed comfort and bespoke of lazy days. A huge chandelier hung in the middle of the room with multi-coloured crystals dangling from silk ribbons threaded through the metal spokes protruding from the middle of a dome-like ceiling that were decorated with paintings of something that Ren thought resembled a sheep. Ren had thought about it for a while but when he could not make any sense of it he decided to just accept it as another part of this crazy place.

Raina dropped herself onto the soft mattress and smiled, a grin spreading on her face. "I can't believe it Ren. Seriously, it's as if all this is some sort of joke. Some random kid kicked us into this world, we were kidnapped, you cross-dressing 24/7, me working as a maid, and meeting a prince…" Raina trailed off. "It's all so unreal. It's as if we really are stuck in some weird dream." She turned her head towards Ren. "Don't you think so?"

Ren sat down on the bed beside her before leaning back and falling on the bed. He had just had his dinner in the servant's quarters and he could feel the weight of the day's labour seeping into his muscles. He felt his weight sink into the mattress and aching muscles on his back sighed in relief and delight. "Well, for starters, I think this bed is awesome," he said and then paused. When he next spoke, he did not address her question. "I don't care what you say, Raina but I'm sleeping here tonight. Oh, today has been a long day." Ren sighed contentedly and looked up at the ceiling. _Damn, that sheep looking thing sure is creepy. _

"So what have you been up to all day?" Ren asked as without looking at her.

"You mean besides getting my measurements taken and being questioned intensively for three hours?" Ren noted the tiredness in her voice, but also a trace of humour.

"That's good then. Man, today was tiring as hell. I could almost weep tears of happiness now that they've assigned me to Pretty Boy. Vlaire tried to kill me today."

"Weeping. Really?" Raina asked, disbelieving. Ren cracked an evil smile.

"Yes. I will be the ultimate banshee and I shall scream all my enemies away!"

"Yeah right," Raina grinned, "So, what happened with Vlaire?"

"Well, some nun or something came to offer them a jug of holy water. Apparently their first Maou was some kind of God and the water came from his altar or something like that."

"The Original King?" Raina asked, interested. She looked past Ren and at the painting that stood on the wall, above her bed. It was a picture of a beautiful blond with purplish-blue eyes. For some reason, the painting had interested her. T_he Original King in the painting looks a lot like Wolfram. Maybe a great ancestor or a mere coincidence. I wouldn't be surprised if the painter modeled the first king after the prince_. Raina blushed a little when she thought of the blond prince from today. _Wolfram._ _What a beautiful name._

"…took a sip from the jug – just a sip, I swear! I wouldn't have done it if actually gave me a break to drink some water and take a leak but that fussy woman just kept nagging and nagging – Oi! You listening?"

Ren's question broke Raina out of her reverie. She had not even been aware that Ren had been talking to her all this time. She looked at Ren. The boy was still wearing his wig and the black uniform. His wig was a little askew not and his face wore a quizzical expression but Raina could still see the Ren she always knew behind the disguise. She smiled and shrugged her shoulders.

"Nothing. What were you saying again?"

"Vlaire is definitely a demon. I don't know how she found out that I had drunk a little of the water from that jug but she came chasing me after that and accused me of draining the entire jug! I mean, I really just took a sip. A sip! Nothing more, nothing less. And it was not as if the water tasted anything special. Yeah, it tasted a little weird but that's all. She even made me clean up the stables. She was going to make me clean the roof next, I swear. I could tell from her face." Ren scrunched up his face in an attempt to imitate the Head Maid, "And then I was saved."

"Saved?" Raina laughed at his choice of words but also with a question.

"Yeah. You remember the pervy prince? Well, I decided to call him Pretty Boy instead. He's truly something, isn't he? Even I thought he was really good looking." _Especially when he blushes. He's so adorable. _"I can understand why bratty Martin is crazy about the younger prince." Ren grinned. "Anyways, as I was saying… Pretty Boy came to my rescue. Apparently, he needs a maid to look after his things whilst he's here and asked for me. You know… since we have to keep our true identities secret and all from everyone else."

Raina lay down on the bed, next to Ren. If she admitted it to herself, she was a little jealous of Ren. She thought of the blond prince from her dreams. In life, he seemed so different from how he was in her dream. Her dreams were always intense. In her dreams, she had been to many places – a volcano, a desert, some island. She saw some boxes in her dreams although she had no idea what it meant. And then she could see him. Blond hair caressed by the wind. Cheeks warm and pink and soft. Smiling, Twinkling eyes. And a smile that Raina knew was meant only for her. And then the scene would change. There, he'd be amidst a sea of blood – his powerful gaze settled on her. He always seemed a little sad in her dreams. As if he had waited his whole life for her. So why was he so different now that he was in front of her?

Raina closed her eyes. For some reason, all she could see in her mind was a young Ren holding out his hand in friendship. Somewhere in her heart, a bubble of sadness erupted and filled her whole being. Clenching her eyelids shut to stop any tell-tale tears from escaping, she reached out a hand to clasp Ren's that lay beside her. She had nothing to fear, she reminded herself. She will never be lonely again.

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><p>It was a little after dinner when Wolfram went to look for his maid. His maid. Wolfram liked the sound of that but he would not admit it to anyone, not even to himself. He had asked a few of the household maids if they had seen his maid but apparently no one but him knew who 'his maid' was. This more than irked the young prince for some inexplicable reason. He then had to refer to his maid by name, which he did not like. Why was he, the prince of the realm and Head of Guard and Defense of the great nation of Shin Makoku, addressing his servant by name? And a human girl at that, no less?<p>

Wolfram briskly crossed the marble corridor and stepped in front Raina's room. His heart skittered a little at the thought of entering Raina's room but whatever the emotion was, it was quickly smothered with an iron hand. Before he could knock on the door, he heard two people talking. Both voices were familiar to him and the first voice he identified hit him in his gut. _Ren is here._

Wolfram quietly pushed the door open a crack and peered at the scene before him. He could see the figure of Raina on the bed with her long black hair framing her exquisite face, her side facing him. Beside her was another figure that was lying on the bed – one dressed in black and had red hair. _What was the little wimpy girl doing on the bed when he had practically searched the entire castle for her_? But just then Raina started speaking – about him.

"Wolfram. What a pretty name."

"Hmm? Ah, yes. I guess you can say that it is a pretty name. It suits him I guess. Since he is rather pretty. But so do you, you know."

"Wha-?" Raina blushed a lovely pink. She suddenly punched Ren on the arm. "You're such an asshole, you know that?"

"That hurt. What was that for?"

"Because you're an idiot and you know I love you for it." He could see her make a move to punch the other girl's arm. Something clenched at Wolfram's arm painfully.

"Yes, yes. I love you too – you crazy, insane woman." Ren laughed. Wolfram cringed. He could feel something ugly worm its way up his body.

The picture presented before him was something nostalgic – so nostalgic, it tasted bitter. He remembered moments in the past so similar to this, where he would bully Yuuri or chide him for his irrational fears and naïve dreams, moments that ended with him professing his love and Yuuri blushing. The feeling of loss and loneliness slowly coiled around his like a tight spring. He could not take it anymore. He could feel himself burning in anger.

He burst into the room majestically.

"Good evening, Lady Raina. If you do not mind, may I have my maid back?" Wolfram tried hard to keep his voice neutral. He did not understand why he was so protective over the redhead woman but he did not care to ponder the question. Instead, he could feel his body temperature rising.

Raina looked a little shocked and then blushed a little, as she turned her gaze away. _So I barged in on a moment there, did I?_ Ren, who was lying on the bed scrambled up and faced away from Wolfram to tidy her clothes and appearance. _Oh, so I interrupted more than a mere 'moment'. Hah! _

"If you don't mind, Prince Wolfram… is it okay if Ren slept in my room tonight?" Wolfram almost let out an expletive. He surprised at himself. Since when had he been so easy to infuriate? _There's no way I'm going to allow you two to be all loving and caring and having your little trysts under the same roof as I!_

Wolfram struggled a little but he stretched his facial muscles to their utmost and hoped it resembled something of a smile. "I'm sorry, Lady Raina. But I must have my maid with me."

With a bow, he walked out of the room without waiting for a reply and waited there for his 'maid' to join him. He did not have to wait long as Ren joined him almost immediately. Wolfram said nothing but merely glanced at the woman beside him from head to toe. Ren looked up at the taller man when he didn't move and their eyes suddenly met. Wolfram could not help but melt at the sight of those beautiful irises. So calm, so deep, so soft – like a cool night sky. He continued to stare into Ren's wide eyes and when he didn't shift his gaze away, Ren lowered his head, a tinge of pink staining his nose and cheeks. Wolfram suddenly felt better.

"Come quickly. I need you to prepare my bath."

Wolfram's room was on the third floor of the main building of the castle, a little further away from Raina's room. Both of them walked quietly together with Ren trailing a little behind the blond prince, the rustle of his skirt sweeping the floor the only indication of his presence in the darkened corridors.

Wolfram's room was located on the same floor as Martin's, Ren noted and blushed at the insinuation at the thought. _Well, they are lovers. What do you expect?_ Ren chided himself. Without ceremony, Wolfram opened the door and let himself in, leaving Ren to follow behind him. As soon as he was in the room, Wolfram immediately began to strip, beginning with the scarf around his neck and the boots. He could see the stain on Ren's cheeks deepening into a rather pretty shade of pink and he could feel an almost derisive smile curl at the side of his lips._ Embarrassed to see me taking off my clothes? Good._ Ren suddenly headed for the bathroom, obviously remembering the task given to him to prepare the bath.

"Um, Sir?" A tingle of pleasure snaked its way down Wolfram's spine deliciously at the sound of Ren's voice. "Is cold water alright?"

Wolfram merely shrugged, not trusting voice. He was really and truly embarrassed now. How could he not be? His lower member was slowly waking up at the most inconvenient of times.

"M-mm. You may leave. Make sure you're back in half an hour."

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><p>. +. <strong>PART TWO <strong>. + .

Ren came back in exactly half an hour. Bored and tired, with nothing to do, he had gone to play with Kohi who then offered to fly him. Sure, his wig had flown off a few times but luckily enough, no one had seen him. For some reason, he liked the Kohi. He thought it was funny, but despite their lack of communication and facial muscles, Ren felt as if he could understand them.

Ren bunched the skirt around his knees as he walked towards the prince's room. He hated the rustle of the lace against the floor and he didn't want to attract unwanted attention in the middle of an empty and darkened corridor. It was as if inviting someone to come out of the shadows. He didn't want any jealous bratty son of a lord named Martin to charge at him, accusing him of seducing his lover. Ren shivered. He still had some problem with the fact that he was seriously drawn to the blond prince. He had always scoffed at people who claimed to 'fall in love at first sight'. To him, love was something people 'discovered' with somebody else over a course of time, not something that 'afflicted' people at a first meeting.

When he came into the room, what he saw almost sent him into a heart attack. The blond prince was on fire. Literally.

Wolfram had a towel around his slim waist. He had been too tired to dry himself, so instead, he had settled on drying himself with his fire element instead. He was careful not to singe his hair or burn the towel, though. It was so much more convenient and effective than drying his hair with a towel. He truly appreciated his fire gift in times like these. Wolfram heard the door crack open and he immediately tensed up, knowing that the person who entered his room was also the reason for his prolonged bath. He flushed a little, conscious of his state of undress and the woman who he was most-undeniably attracted to, if his earlier arousal was any indication.

Schooling his features into a face of indifference, he turned around to look at Ren who was gaping at him like an idiot. Wolfram was confused at the look on Ren's face but instead of asking him about it, he said, "Well, hurry up, will you!" As if that made any sense at all, Ren hurried over to the side of the room, grabbed a flower pot, threw the flowers out of the pot and poured the water over Wolfram.

And if that was not enough, he suddenly went to refill the vase with water from the bath and poured it over him again.

"What are you doing?" Wolfram spluttered in both anger and astonishment._ Had she lost her good sense in the short time they had been apart_? Ren who was slowly calming down now that Wolfram was wet and not on fire, glanced up and heaved a sigh. "Thank God you are okay."

"What? What are you muttering about?" Wolfram asked, mustering as much anger as possible but the sight of a disheveled and wet Ren, was beginning to look very appealing to Wolfram. The wet blond was not sure how the girl achieved that effect but he swore he could see every twitch of muscle as Ren's eyes widened and she raised her head towards the prince, her head tilted a little. It did not take long for Wolfram to realize that if he lowered his head just a little, he could effortlessly capture those tantalizing lips in a kiss. Wolfram slowly lowered his head but just as he could feel the warm breath of the other but at that precise moment, Ren stepped back.

"Um, Sir? I'm sorry. I thought you were on fire and I'm so sorry." Ren did not know what to say. He honestly had thought the blond was burning. He was sure that bratty Martin had finally lost it. But looking at the prince now without a hair on his head singed, he had to reconsider his earlier thought.

Wolfram was really losing it. With her wet, he could smell her scent now. To his surprise, it was not floral-ish or feminine at all but rather bittersweet and a little tangy. He found, to his delight, that he rather liked the taste of it on his tongue. He also liked Ren's bewildered expression. He liked the soft velvet of her irises that promised so much in the fantasies running through his head. He could feel the need to crush her to him and smother her in a single kiss, compel his hands to move towards the woman clad in flimsy black. His movements stilled. _I will not have her wear that anymore. Tomorrow, I will get her a new uniform._

With the last ounce of self-control, Wolfram willed himself away from the temptation that was now standing in the middle of the room. Without looking back, Wolfram announced, "Make sure you have the room in order by the time I get back."

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><p>Ren had no idea how things had escalated to the situation now. <em>Thank God for the Kohi, though<em>. It was they who had helped him clean the room in Pretty Boy's absence. There were three of them. One had flown away to get mops and mats to soak up the water, the other was busy moving the heavy and dry furniture (as well as the breakables) away from the spot of disaster; the last one was busy helping Ren clean up and dry the floors, empty the bathtub and return whatever that had been knocked away in the confusion into its proper places.

_At times like these, I wish I had the convenience of a hair dryer_. Ren was brooding now that he had completed his task and he was alone with the Kohi. "Sometimes, I miss my world. I miss my PlayStation, I miss school, I miss the fun times with Raina, I miss my mom… but most of all, I think I miss Rika and the normal boisterous hustle and bustle of my everyday life. I want to eat food that I know and like, and meet people that I know and like, and…" Ren left the sentence hanging and sighed, looking up at the twinkling stars across a clear sky.

"Sometimes I like this place. Sometimes I love it. I like the people here, but they are not my people. As much as I like them, I just don't belong… What do you think?" Ren thought the Kohi shrugged and said something like, "How you feel is exactly what you feel." Not much help there. The other Kohi jumped in and nodded his head vigorously, causing his jaw to rattle a little. Ren thought he said something along the lines of, "Well, you just got here. There's no need to rush or decide anything. Besides, you have so much more to see of this place."

"I know, I know. I just can't help it. I just feel like I'm throwing myself against an iron door. I guess I'm just scared."

"That's because you're a wimp," a deep masculine voice suddenly spoke behind him.

Ren turned around to find himself nose to nose with the Pretty Boy. His heart lurched suddenly in his chest most painfully.

The prince took a step back and surveyed the room. "You may return to your chambers. Make sure you're here early in the morning before breakfast."

Not knowing what to do, Ren made an uncomfortable move to curtsy (thanks to the uncomfortable stretchy fabric of his dress) and left the room.

"So, she isn't shy. She can speak when she wants to, but she won't speak to me?"

Wolfram quickly got into bed and a short while later he was in deep sleep. Only the Kohi outside the window bore witness to the anguish that unknown to Wolfram, had seeped into the words he had announced into darkened room.

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><p>He could feel the hot and wet breath near his ear and warm and strong hands running lightly over his body at first and then moulding, shaping. A lick at side of ear and he shuddered. He grabbed the woman who laughed seductively, her voice soft and velvety like her eyes. He rubbed his cheek against hers and then nuzzled her creamy neck and inhaled her scent till his head was hazy with her fragrance that smelled of cinnamon and oranges. Turning her around, he pushed the lacy black shoulder strap down for more access as he nibbles and planted kisses all the way from her shoulder to her jaw.<p>

His movement that began as a slow and lazy tease began to gain urgency as he threw her on the bed and pinned her down with his knee between her legs. He kissed her ferociously on the mouth – attacking it, teasing it, claiming and twisting it into submission. He crushed her closer, so close that he could feel her small breast bunching against his solid chest. He could feel her own fingers running through his hair, threading through it and grabbing at it insistently; her other hand was across back, tugging at his clothes and holding him close.

Breaking the kiss to breathe, he panted and surveyed his work. Her face flushed red, just like her hair. Her eyes once so innocent, was now dazed and mad with lust. _Yes, _Wolfram decided, _I do like that look on her. _Pushing her hair away from her face, he continued to kiss and commit each feature of her face to memory.

Pulling her strap down further to bare her small breasts, Wolfram cupped her breasts before swallowing one whole mound, licking and teasing, nipping and biting the nipple. He could feel her trashing beneath him and moaning at both the pleasure and pain. Her hot, breathy moans in his ears turned him on and he quickly devoured her mouth, his finger replacing his mouth on her nipple as he twisted her nipple a little. Wolfram felt her jolt physically and her hands moved to pull up his night-shirt. She trailed clumsy kisses along his jaw as she did this, his hands cupping her breasts and thumbing her erect nipples ruthlessly.

Wolfram quickly moved to bunch up her skirt around her waist, trailing a hand along a shapely thigh and then moved that hand to cup her buttocks. Removing the underwear that was now constricting his much engorged manhood, he threw a leg behind a shoulder. He saw the sweat and saliva glistening on her flushed skin and smiled in satisfaction. But for some reason, something looked wrong.

Instead of the small breasts, was a solid flat chest. Wolfram frowned despite his raging lust. Her shoulder blades still bore marks of his loving but where he had seen delicate shoulder blades, he now saw strong and lean ones. Confused, he looks up at her face.

Her long red tresses were now a short crop.

Not knowing what to do, Wolfram moved closer to her face. He kissed her gently on the lips and cupped her face. He hugged her close and muttered into her short hair, very softly, very lovingly.

"Ren…"


	13. Falling - Part I

{Note}

Hi everyone. Thank you for continuing to support my work. I look forward to your valuable opinions and ideas. Your reviews have really helped me, and some of you guys have been great inspiration.

Sorry for taking FOREVER to update. Actually this was written months ago but it's only half finished. I will post up the second half after my exams.

I also have come up with a new idea for a story - imagine Yuuri losing his memories of ever going to Shin Makoku. And after eight years, Wolfram kidnaps him and forcefully brings him to Shin Makoku. It's going to have a mature theme and lots of angst. Tell me what you think.

All my love!

PS: I apologise if the 'fanservice' in the previous chapter was too much for anyone. I hope that didn't put anyone off the story.

(Disclaimer}

Nothing in this story belongs to me - except maybe for Ren and Raina. Everyone and everything else belongs to the mangaka.

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**The Reclamation of a Bratty Prince**

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

_**Falling**_

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The sun streamed in through the gaps in the curtain to illuminate the darkness that was slumbering away, oblivious to the loud 'bad-omen' chirpings that usually marked the beginning of a new day. Outside the window, the servants of the household were in the midst of their daily chores - cutting the grass, mucking the horses, trimming the bushes, feeding the poultry and hanging out the laundry. The maids were laughing about some joke or other while the male guards were busy practicing their swordsmanship on the west clearing, side of the castle. Outside, a black-haired girl sat on a huge rock while she chatted away animatedly with a taller girl who wore a frown and had red hair struggle to hang a bed sheet over the clothesline.

Inside the room, the darkness was still silent, lulled to sleep by the deep and regular breathing of the sole occupant in the room, his limbs tangled with the bed sheet; his blanket kicked sometime in the night to floor. A sound of something crashing outside the door (no doubt a maid breaking something by accident) disturbed the blond a little, a frown marring the tranquility on his face. When the bad-omen bird kept to his usual routine of spouting cacophony, the blond stirred and cracked an eye open in annoyance. Seeing the bright light peering through the thick curtains, the blond growled and muttered an expletive. Rubbing his eyes awake, Wolfram skillfully extracted himself from the mess of limb and cloth and stood up beside the bed. That was when he noticed the stains on the bed and the tell-tale smell of his spent desire.

Wolfram stared awhile at the sheets in confusion before the memory from the night before had swooped in and set fire to his cheeks. Wolfram blushed a bright tomato red. He could not believe himself. Had he really been turned on by that girl in a mere dream? He was shocked beyond belief. He was even more shocked that at the end of the dream, he had transformed the girl into a man and to his utter surprise, Wolfram realized as he recalled the dream, that he did not desire her any less if she were a man. The truth shocked him a little, and Wolfram wondered for the umpteenth time if his feelings for her ran deeper than he thought. The idea scared him.

Combing his hair back with a hand, he thought of Yuuri. The image of the dark haired teenage boy was quickly summoned to mind and Wolfram ran over their memories together. He remembered Yuuri's brilliant grin and soft eyes and Wolfram felt his fears melt away. _Yes, I love Yuuri and I will always love him._ With that, the blond prince felt better. He quickly got dressed and finally before smothering his vibrant locks and leaving the room, Wolfram decided that whatever he felt for the redhead did not resemble love in the slightest. _After all,_ Wolfram thought with a smile, _I was instantly attracted to the wimp's black hair. Ren doesn't even have black hair, so I couldn't possibly feel something like 'love' for her. I mean, I am Mazoku and I have superior taste. And I totally hate red hair. So yeah._ And with that, Wolfram strode out of his room with a big smile on his face.

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><p>Ren had been busy all morning as he had been recruited as temporary help in the laundry section. He had spent the whole morning hanging out bedsheets of every colour imaginable of the clothesline. In all honestly, it amazed Ren how the clothesline manage to carry the burden of so many (and so heavy) sheets. He swore then and there, in front a laughing Raina, that he would never touch those things again.<p>

But even as he had said that, he knew that he would have to see them again and soon. But now, Wolfram had no idea how to explain what had happened. When he entered Pretty Boy's bedroom to tidy up and make the bed, he found that the prince's blanket and bed sheet were missing and found instead, a suspicious black ash which stood at the side of the bed. Upon closer inspection, Ren deduced that the black mass must be something severely charred and burned. Ren guessed that it was the missing bed sheet and blanket but he could not think of a reason why the prince would burn his bed sheet.

_That would make him a psychopath, right? Burning things for no reason. Or maybe it's a fetish of some sort? Or, he killed someone and had to get rid of the evidence - in this case, the bed sheet? But why would he kill someone? Maybe he is some sort of vampire? In terms of looks, he's more than good enough for a vampire, but I can't say if he's tolerant to sunlight. _Ren sniffed for the scent of blood. _Nah. I'm probably overthinking it. But then again, maybe he wet his bed and had to get rid of the evidence? Pfft! As if!_ Ren laughed at his musings, not knowing how close he'd come to the truth. Hunching a little, Ren made his way to Vlaire who was in the kitchen at the moment. _Oh boy, she's gonna chew me out. Stupid Pretty Boy - it's all your fault!_

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><p>TO BE CONTINUED IN THE NEXT CHAPTER<p> 


	14. Falling - Part II

{Note}

Dear **readers**, thank you so much for loving this story as much as I do. Now that I've uploaded the first half of chapter13, I can't help but want to finish the rest of it. So here goes the rest of the chapter.

To all my **reviewers**, you are a constant source of motivation and inspiration. I can't thank you guys enough.

PS: If you have any **questions**, send them to me and I will answer them in the next chapter. Till then, happy reading.

{Disclaimer}

This chapter is full of nothing but fluff and romance. If you have mistakenly thought this to be something else, well, you'd better look elsewhere. P

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**The Reclamation of a Bratty Prince**

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

**_Falling_**

**[Part II]**

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Wolfram kept thinking of red hair that day. He could not help himself. It didn't matter if it were red feathers in Martin's hair or red wool on a tapestry or even red tassels dangling from velvet curtains (which Wolfram thought was designed in poor tastes), the truth of the matter was that Wolfram found himself waiting for the sight of Ren. At some point, he vaguely realised that his attraction to Raina was superficial – it was her black hair which he loved. But with Ren… Even the blond prince could not fathom reasons for his infatuation with his maid. Wolfram stressed the word "maid" in his mind, emphasising that this is the nature of the relationship between the two of them. Deep down, the prince knew that he had never felt such a strong sexual pull to anyone, except perhaps Yuuri. And that was precisely the reason why he could not and would not tolerate this chemistry brewing between them.

"Yes, so we've agreed that this route is best after all. I'd look into the idea of ration cards. That's definitely a useful way to weed out and deprive human spies disguised as tourists from further infiltration. I have it on good authority that they disguise themselves as burglars and they burgle for daily expenses."

"Yes, yes, my Lords. As I was saying, I will need some time to sort out the guards and the mercenaries. I am, as my Lords are of course aware, understaffed at the moment. However, if you could spare two days, I would like to organise a ball to commemorate this pleasant surprised visit, Your Highness."

"Please, Lord Dante. For the twenty-ninth time, you should conserve your funds. These are not peaceful times. Big Cimaron has already gathered large numbers of Houseki users. I am, however, concerned that setting up a patrol near the border may scare away merchants and pedlars. What do you think?" the 28th Maou of Shin Makoku asked, turning to his brother.

Wolfram kept scolding himself. _So what if she's beautiful? So what if she acts all stupid and rash like a child? She's still adorable. But that's not the point – you're missing the point. She's bony and she has no feminine allure at all. Even her voice is deep. But, her voice has a pleasant timbre. I'm still missing the point. She's human. She's a nobody. She's stupid. She's reckless. For God's sake, she and Raina have a thing going on. I should just let her go. Yeah, I should just take her back to earth and take her for myself? I have never met anyone like her. Pouring water on someone who is drying himself and then acting all embarrassed with her wet hair clinging to her face in the moonlight… She's so beautiful, it hurts me to think about her. _

"Wolfram?"

Suddenly jolted out of his reverie by his brother, the blond prince couldn't calm down. "Yes-yes, brother. You're absolutely – absolutely right. Right? The patrols, that's right! Ah. Um, I was thinking that patrolling so close to the border might alarm them and…uh". Before Wolfram could continue, Gwendal turned back to Lord Dante and said in a final tone that border patrols are to be kept at minimal, preferably during night-time and security escorts be given to travelling guilds, merchants and government officials who do not have guards.

Gwendal continued to converse with the Lord, leaving Wolfram to his misery. _Truly,_ he thought, _the wench really disturbed my peace of mind. I must treat her like a maid. There is no way I will let a human play with my feelings. After all, her coming here was an accident. We need to find the Maou and until Ulrike confirms Raina as the next Maou, I have a duty that I must perform for my country. So Heart, hear me and be still. Do not waver and do not swell in anticipation for a girl who is unworthy. Do not dishonour my one true love by mistakenly comparing her to a beloved so dear, so precious. Do not falter and do not wail, in love and in jealousy. I am a prince and a Bielefeld. I have my honour to protect._

With that, Wolfram steeled his heart and mind in hope that with perseverance and strict discipline, he would drive her out of his mind - and he suspect, his heart.

* * *

><p>Martin glanced at himself in the mirror. He looked his best with his royal blue velvet coat and crisp cotton shirt. This time he wore clothes which he thought made him look mature, completing the ensemble with a blue and green striped beret with a single purple feather. A past courtesan had once told him that feathers gave his eyes a mystical depth and ever since, he made sure to always wear feathers in his fair.<p>

Smoothening non-existant flyaway curls, the bratty lord cursed his fate for not being born a double black. Perhaps if he had, Wolfram would pay him more attention. Truthfully, Martin did not understand Wolfram's fascination with black eyes and hair but Martin desperately wished that the Prince would love him with a fraction of his passion for the prince. He had never loved anyone as he loved Wolfram.

"Sir, there you are!" Ren exclaimed with a tired sigh. "Lady Vlaire had me looking for you everywhere!"

"Be mindful, servant. I am your master," Martin announced haughtily, a little irked at the accusation implied in Ren's complaint.

"And I am a royal guest, courtesy of Raina," Ren chirped in reply. "Aww, no need to fuss. Shouldn't you be happy? You blond prince is here. He's handsome, intelligent and rich… And the both of you are lovers. What more do you want? Or is your father against it?"

Martin was quiet awhile which puzzled Ren. _Maybe there really is something amiss here_, Ren thought. He suddenly felt sorry for the brat. Despite the bratty attitude, Ren thought it was possible that the young lord was still a good guy. He parked himself on the soft bed, wishing he could spread his feet on top of the soft layers. His feet ached from excessive walking and standing.

"You lose sight of your place, servant." Martin was quiet again. This time, Ren felt that perhaps the matter was much more serious than he had initially thought.

"The prince does not love me."

Ren was stunned by Martin's unexpected revelation. It did not occur to him that the prince might not love the young redhead brat. It was true that Ren himself found the young Martin whimsical and unbearable but lately he had come to appreciate the young lord's enthusiasm whenever it concerned Pretty Boy. Sure, Ren found Martin ridiculous in his pompous attitude, extravagant sense of style and behaviour but he thought that the younger man's wholehearted love for Pretty Boy was rather inspiring and (although he would not admit it, he found it) beautiful. Ren remembered watching all those lovey-dovey Disney romances as a kid, back when Miko used to dress him in girl's dresses. Rika was probably too young to remember but she would crawl into his lap while the three of them watched 'Cinderella', 'Aladdin' and 'Beauty and the Beast' over and over. As a child, Ren vaguely remember wishing that he too would one day find a love that he could give up the world for. Recalling that particular memory, a soft blush crept across his cheeks.

Martin noticed the reddening of Ren's cheeks and mistook it for something else. "You'd laugh at me, servant?" Ren looked up suddenly, a little embarrassed but not the least bit apologetic. For some reason, Ren felt comfortable around the Bratty Lord.

"Don't be silly," Ren chided, "Why would I take comfort in your misery? Do I look like a sadist to you?"

Martin stared for a moment with angry eyes. "Who knows? In that dress, you very well might be."

Another pause of silence ensued before the both of them broke out in loud guffaws of laughter. Truthfully, the dress was most uncomfortable. After meeting Vlaire and reporting the mystery of the charred beddings, Vlaire had thrown him a bundle of cloth. Well, that was what he had initially thought it was anyways. Upon unravelling the bundle, he was surprised to find that it was in fact a dress.

The dress was greyish-green in colour and the skirt had many grey layers while the front of the dress was bulky as thick square buttons ran from the neckline to the hemline. The dress had no strings or ribbons attached to the waist and the neckline choked him at the base of the neck. The sleeves were too long and kept getting in the way of his work. In a nutshell, the dress was too heavy, too hot and too depressing. Ren often fantasised of an alternate universe where he wore normal clothes for boys and then he realised that that was exactly where he came from.

"Yeah, laugh all you want. I bet I look stupid in this," Ren muttered with a mock pained expression. Martin only laughed harder.

"So, why are you wearing this atrocious garb if you know it's hideous?"

"Well, it's not like I had a choice. Lady Vlaire just chucked it and me and barked that it was a request from Pre- er, the prince… so I had no say in the matter," Ren explained sheepishly.

Martin chuckled. "Perhaps it's a form of punishment? As far as I know, the prince has impeccable taste." Thinking about the fiasco of last night, Ren silently agreed.

"Wow, he must be real petty though to punish me like this," Ren muttered aloud with a sigh and once more the both of them burst out in laughter.

As the silence died down, Ren suddenly asked Martin, "Are you alright? Even though the prince doesn't love you?"

Martin turned to the mirror and began smoothening his hair into place. "Well, I am loved. Not by the person I wanted but I am loved. That is enough for me. Not that it is any of your business, servant."

"My, my, how harsh," Ren mocked. A soft smile spread across his face. "So, my Lord has a new lover? He must be handsome."

"Of course. Not that it is any of your business. But not only is he handsome but kind and smart and powerful with a blade," Martin smiled unaware that his cheeks were tinged pink and his eyes were bright with happiness. Ren was satisfied. _Martin doesn't know it yet, but he's probably in love. I wonder if I will ever find someone to love. But wait, did I just act all girly back there – gossiping about handsome men and stuff? What is happening to me? It must be the effect of wearing dresses and speaking in my most feminine voice!_

"Ren, I need you to unfasten my shoes so that I can take a nap. My lover was rather rough last night so I'm all tired out. The prince is still stuck in the meeting and there's nobody to flirt with. It's quite hot today too."

The look Ren flashed was both incredulous and exasperated. To Martin, it looked like Ren had constipation. Martin laughed. "You know, you're really funny."

Ren was irritated by that comment but said nothing. _I guess today isn't over yet. Come on, Ren. You've got work to do_.

* * *

><p>In the evening, Ren found Raina sitting at the courtyard, watching Dante's soldiers and mercenaries train their skills with a sword. The sun was already setting, casting a pale red glow over all it touched. Raina looked beautiful in the red glow, her cheeks pink and healthy, her hair reflecting red. She looked happy, happier than he's seen her in a while. Truth be told, Ren was getting tired of pretense. He was tired of moving around in uncomfortable clothes, tired of handling strange people and strange customs, tired of stuffing his chest and wearing a wig. Ren never regretted it - everything he had done was to protect Raina. He did not regret it at all and yet, this strange country was wearing him down.<p>

So this place was a world separate from the one he came from and they basically live a medieval lifestyle. Life here was not bad but it was not exatly good either. He worked long hours for his four meals and lodging. Ren could not imagine living here forever. He desperately wanted to get back. He missed his mom, Rika, school, his detective shows. But most of all, he wanted to get away from the danger he sensed was cornering the both of them. Pretty Boy seemed dangerous as well since he's had his eye on Raina from their first meeting and after listening to Martin, he was sure that Pretty Boy was up to no good.

Ren flopped down on the grass next to Raina and nudged her a little. "You seem happy. Anything good happened today?"

Raina threw her back and smiled. "Well, for starters, how about news that we are leaving tomorrow?"

"Leaving tomorrow? But where to? Surely you don't mean -"

"Yes, Blood Pledge Castle."

A moment of silence ensued. Raina's smile did not fade as she surveyed the sword practice in front of her. The cacophony of swords clashing did not seem to bother her either. Ren's brows creased together in a frown. He began pulling at the grass, irritated with himself and Raina for being powerless and helpless. Ren didn't like the idea of going to Blood Pledge Castle. An uneasy sense of foreboding evil assailed him. ALthough danger bells were going off in his head, Ren did not have the words to convince Raina to trust his intuition.

"Dear Miss, I-I wanted you to have this," Ren was suddenly interrupted by a soldier holding out a single red rose. Even with the dyed sky casting its red hue, Ren could tell that he was blushing. Touched by the sudden gesture, Ren accepted the rose with a small smile, inhaled its sweet fragrance and caressed its velvety petals. "Thank you."

The smiling soldier ran off after that to continue with sword practice. "Wow, Ren. Not bad. Your grandmother would be so proud. However, I doubt Rika would share her sentiments. I'm pretty sure she'd boil him, burn him to a crisp and feed him to the dogs."

Ren shook his head, "But Rika, we don't have dogs."

"Exactly." There was silence for a minute and then Ren began laughing. "Raina, sometimes you're absolutely ridiculous."

"Aren't you busy?" A sudden mocking voice, laced with something malicious sent a shiver through the young man. Turning around, Ren found himself staring at perfect, lush lips. Sweet, tempting, kissable lips. Moving, talking, rude lips.

Wolfram von Bielefeld could barely stop himself from running over and punching the living daylights out of the man who had just given a rose to _his maid._ Ren was his, dammit. He could not and would not have anyone messing with what was his. Sure, she was a vile human but that did not alter the fact the she was his. So what was this soldier doing with his maid? What was his maid doing here, first of all?

He had sent a new uniform for her that morning as he felt her initial lacy dress was far too suggestive for his peace of mind. _The damn dress was the reason for my strange dream. The new one is absolutely non-suggestive and it should be useful to keep unwanted strays from going near what is mine. Well, I am doing her a favour by keeping riff-raff away._ What Wolfram would not admit to was that he had thought of nothing but Ren the whole day and that he had secretly been watching her the moment she joined Raina at the courtyard.

"Maid, know your place. What are you doing here? Learning sword practice tips? Or catching the eyes of the soldiers?"

Ren was a little taken aback by the insulting and insinuating question. _He does not mean what I think it means, does he?_ "Sir, I- Raina..."

"Ah."

His monosyllabic reply grated on Ren's nerves. In fact, Ren was further irritated by the fact that Wolfram seemed angrier than before. _What's wrong with Pretty Boy?_

Wolfram suddenly thrust a sword in Ren's hands and signalled him to a duel. Not knowing what to do, Ren merely obeyed. Wolfram began by attacking Ren from the sides and then from above. Despite its weight, Ren managed to avoid and even striked at Wolfram a few times. maneuvering a sword was easier than Ren expected as it was not exactly the wooden sword he had used in Kendo practice, but he found it useful in warding off Wolfram's increasingly ferocious attack.

Suddenly, Ren found himself surrounded by suspended fireballs. Distracted by the strange occurence, Ren found himself being attacked by a fiery lion. It was literally made out of fire and breathed fire. Ren found it difficult to digest what was happening around him. Looking up, he found Wolfram close his eyes and say, "All beings that make up the element of fire, obey this brave Mazoku." What happened next cast away Ren's confusion but in its stead, filled it with fear.

A fire snake sprang up around Wolfram, as if summoned. Hissing, it aimed for Ren's legs. Ren dropped his sword and ran, fear filling his every pore.

As the snake neared him, Ren was sure that he was going to die in this foreign land in the hands of a petty prince. And then he heard Raina scream.

All Ren saw before passing out were water dragons washing away the fireballs and the fire snake.


	15. Departure

{Note}

**Readers, reviewers** - thank you so much for supporting me. Your constant motivation really inspires me to do my best. I've finally got a stable internet connection so YEAH! I'm excited. Will try to update more frequently. Therefore, forgive my tardiness.

By the way, I've been hooked on **Korean drama's** lately. Know any good ones?

{Disclaimer}

This is merely a **teaser** :) Will upload the rest by Friday. STAY TUNED.

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**The Reclamation of a Bratty Prince**

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN**

_**Departure (Teaser)**_

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There was little that Wolfram could do but stare. Throughout the night he had paced anxiously across his vast quarters, occasionally cursing his temper in anger and stamped his feet whenever his thoughts suddenly encountered a block. Throwing a look towards his bed, he crossed the parquet floor and carefully examined Ren's face for the hundredth time. Her face seemed less pale and her breathing deep and even.

Something stirred in his chest. He shivered. He thought of taking her hand in his and slowly warm her with his _majutsu_ to lend comfort when he recalled the precise reason that landed her there in the first place. In one sense, he was furious with himself. How could he have let jealousy cause him to put her in danger? _For Shinou's sake, she's human! She's weak and fragile! She didn't even know that Mazoku people have majutsu! But the water dragons – where did they come from? Argh! I've been over this at least fifty times!_

The thin morning veil lingered upon her lips, as if to steal a soft kiss. He himself was tempted to lightly graze a finger against it, wondering if they were truly as soft as they looked. He had already lifted a hand when he realized that Ren was a) human, b) a girl, c) his maid and more importantly, d) returning to metal infested earth – not to mention that he almost seriously injured her. But for some reason, he could not summon the strength to push her away – not now, with her all limp, weak and hurt in front of him.

_Yuuri, please forgive me. I still love you but I think I'm also falling in love with Ren. I don't know why. I've never felt so alive, so vibrant, so exhilarated except for when you were with me. I don't love you any less but I also don't want to deny what I feel for her. Will you forgive me, Yuuri? This time it is I who is the wimp – running away from my own feelings for a human girl. What would you say to all of this? If you were here?_

Taking a stray tendril into his hand, he curled it around a finger. Bringing his face closer to Ren, he inhaled the fragrance of her skin and imprinted it in his memory. Something about the girl was so nostalgic, so dear, so cherished but he could not remember – could not remember just what it was about her. Boldly, since he would never be able to do this, he lifted his face towards him and gently pressed their lips together.

Wolfram could feel his heart pounding violently in his chest and a huge smile creeping into life on his face. He could not fathom how this bony girl had managed to weasel her way into his affections – and now, he just could not let her go. He had finally – miraculously found love again after all these years and he just could not bear the thought that she might be taken from him. That one kiss had changed everything. Before he had been tormented by everything that stood between them whereas now, Wolfram knew he had to keep them together. He would not be able to bear losing his love a second time.


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